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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23432284">The last war</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookDreamCatcher/pseuds/BookDreamCatcher'>BookDreamCatcher</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kung Fu Panda (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:55:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>67,883</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23432284</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookDreamCatcher/pseuds/BookDreamCatcher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel for "The last chance". While Lord Shen is building up his new existence, a young peahen appears and reveals things of his past in his banishment, what the lord had never thought and doesn't believe.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. On a journey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello and here the sequel. Wish you a great reading time with Shen and Po, and other more characters. Enjoy. :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With worried look the restaurant owner looked out of the window into the dark white night.</p><p>"It's been snowing for many days," he muttered and lay back the curtains.</p><p>The restaurant lay somewhere in the gigantic province China in a small village. Many travelers took the chance to take a rest and to seek shelter from the strong hard winter.</p><p>The owner, an old rabbit, served with his family the guests. In the main room was a big fire where the most people sat and talked about good and bad times. One of them, an old wolf, was the loudest and stood on a table. The old rabbit came in with a tablet of glasses when the wolf finished his tale: "And that's how it ended. Yes, on that day, the Dragon Warrior made with the worst enemy and Kung Fu opposer, and, I underscore it, the one who had planned to conquer China with dangerous fire weapons, he made him a peace offer. Yes, I heard it with my own ears."</p><p>"And what happened next?" somebody asked.</p><p>The old wolf shrugged his shoulders. "Nobody knows. Some people say in the caserns that he left the valley of peace, where he has been seen the last time. The Dragon Warrior never heard of him again. Other people say that the lord had plans for a new conquest. In turn, other ones say, he died in the mountains while an accident. And more others say, he built a town hidden somewhere, and nobody knows how much soldiers are hidden there."</p><p>He took the glass what the restaurant owner gave him and emptied it. "But all this can be just a rumor. I only heard it through the restaurants where I came in. Everybody tells another end. I only said what I heard the most."</p><p>The old rabbit looked with surprise at a corner of the room where a shadow moved to the exit. While the guest talked about new stories, the figure took its thick brown robe, hat, cane and bag.</p><p>"You want to leave?" he asked.</p><p>The figure hesitated. "I have to go."</p><p>It was a female voice. A very young voice.</p><p>"Outside is a heavy winter storm," the rabbit warned. "Wait until the storm is over. Maybe in few days…"</p><p>"No. I have to go now."</p><p>With that, she opened the door. Cold, icy wind blew into the antechamber. The rabbit wanted to say something, but the figure jumped out and closed the door quickly.</p><p>"That's crazy. Poor thing."</p><hr/><p>The lights of the house had already disappeared behind her. Just darkness and snow surrounded the dark coated figure. Snowflakes danced wildly around her like white stars.</p><p>The path was hard to see, but it couldn't be far away anymore.</p><p>While she was walking the way, she thought about that, about what a story they had told in the restaurant. This story, she had heard in many other restaurants. It was the only hint which she could follow up. Without a second one.</p><p>The Dragon Warrior. He was the only one who could help her. Her only possibility to find him.</p><p>"I have to find him," she whispered.</p><p>Her long robe erased her tracks in the snow.</p><p>"I will find him."</p><p>A shiver of coldness and fear shook her body.</p><p>"We need him." She took out something from the pocket. "More than this."</p><p>
  <em>And she needs you.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Robbery in the snow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Oh, Po!"</p><p>Po crashed with his head against the wooden beam when he was going to stand up. "Yes, dad?"</p><p>"How many times do I have to say, you don't need to help me. You should protect the village and China."</p><p>"But dad," the panda protested and stood up on his feet. He put the towel away with that he had cleaned the floor and wiped over his pants. "You can't stay alone with that leg."</p><p>The panda pointed at Mr. Ping's bandaged leg.</p><p>"But Po, I slipped on the ice only, it isn't a broken leg. It's just sprained."</p><p>"Anyway. I will take care for you until the household help comes, which you ordered."</p><p>"In this weather?" Mr. Ping waved his hands. "It's more ice outside than hair on the bear fur. It snows since many days. I don't think that someone will find a way to our village the next few days. Or weeks. Or until the wintertime is over."</p><p>Po rubbed his head. "Maybe. But you can't work with a sprained leg."</p><p>"But Po, the neighbor is helping me out."</p><p>Po narrowed his eyes in a bored way. "Yes, and he needs more time to find the way to a table with his bad eyes."</p><p>"His glasses are broken."</p><p>Mr. Ping bent down and looked into a corner. "Oh."</p><p>"What it is, dad?"</p><p>"The wood is empty. I have to collect some new."</p><p>"No, dad!" Po grabbed the goose and put him firmly on a chair. "I will do!"</p><p>"But Po…"</p><p>"No way. I will bring you the wood for the fire."</p><p>With that Po took a basket and walked with it in the snow.</p><p>Mr. Ping watched him while his son disappeared. "He is a good boy."</p><hr/><p>"Oh, that's a big one."</p><p>Po picked up a branch, but it stuck.</p><p>"Oh, co-me on!"</p><p>He pulled and pulled and fell back.</p><p>"Oh, damn snow. Hey, I still need my bones!"</p><p>He jumped up and glared at the branch angrily.</p><p>"Hey! Do you want to keep back your fire heat for my dad? Oh, come on! Let's get over! Heah!"</p><p>He formed a snowball with his hands and threw it on the branch.</p><p>Suddenly he had an idea.</p><hr/><p>"Okay, perfect."</p><p>He made few steps back and inspect his artwork.</p><p>The snow figure, a little bigger than him, and with stones and branches made face, Po postured in front of the snow figure and made a lazy bored face. In his childhood, he had played it very often.</p><p>"Uhm, did you say something? Do you want something from me? You want to annoy me? Really? Bad mistake. You have no chance against the dangerous fists of dragons… Whaha! Whahhahai!"</p><p>He hit and kicked against the snow man until it was just tramped snow.</p><p>"Yeha! Nothing stands against…"</p><p>Suddenly a loud female voice echoed through the snowed forest.</p><p>The panda pricked up his ears. "What?"</p><p>The screaming sound echoed again.</p><p>"Danger in delay."</p><p>He looked around and lifted his head. "I'm coming! Hang in there!"</p><p>Po ran in the direction where he had heard the voice.</p><p>"Stay away from me!" the female cried.</p><p>"Oh, little lady wants to play," another man's voice sounded mockingly.</p><p>Po breathed heavily after he reached the place and hold his breath for a moment. On a snow-covered forest glade stood four wild cats with no friendly faces. Two of them had surrounded a figure in a long robe and a straw hat on his head. The two other cats were busy to empty the bag and looked for something valuable.</p><p>"Nothing inside," one of them said.</p><p>"Maybe she hides it under her clothes."</p><p>The figure stepped back; the cane lifted in front of her. "Don't dare! I have nothing more with me."</p><p>"We'll see about it. Take her."</p><p>The female hit with the cane around, she hits several times their hands, but she wasn't fast enough. One of them jumped forward like a lightning and kicked her down. She fell back and landed in the snow.</p><p>Po couldn't watch it any longer. "That's enough!"</p><p>He made a run-up and stared an attack. "Hey! YouAhhhahaaahh…"</p><p>Po slipped. He tumbled several times, covered his body with snow, which grew more and more until he was wrapped in a snowball and rolled down the hill.</p><p>The wild cats didn't know what to say and stared at the gigantic rolling snowball.</p><p>But before it hit them, they jumped aside. The snowball panda crashed against a tree. Snow flew around. Po landed with a bang backwards in the snow field.</p><p>"Oh, awesome," he muttered.</p><p>But then he remembered and was on his feet again.</p><p>"Hey, fatty, how dare you!"</p><p>Po tensed his arms.</p><p>"No, it calls more, how dare you! Either you leave or this."</p><p>He lifted his balled hands.</p><p>The cats snarled. "Invitation for the last meal."</p><p>Po hesitated. Maybe they didn't come from here. "A fight? Right. My fists are hungry for a fight. Whahai!"</p><p>All went so fast, that nobody could see details.</p><p>The four cats jumped at the panda, but Po knew how to escape and to fight back. The most troubles he made his attackers was his thick skin. Everyone who kicked into his belly or back, this one fell back.</p><p>"Now, final meal."</p><p>Po gave everything. These bullies should never dare to attack a helpless woman again.</p><p>The cats were fast, but after several punches in their faces, there were tired to fight for nothing important.</p><p>"Let's see for another prey."</p><p>With that, they left and disappeared in the forest.</p><p>Po wiped over his head. "Phew. I'm out of training. My joints rust in winter break."</p><p>But in the next second he remembered why he had a fight. He turned around. The figure still lay in the snow. Slowly and worried Po came closer. "Hey, are you okay?"</p><p>He bent down and lifted the hat. Brown silver weak eyes of a bird looked at him. Feather fingers were visible under the dark brown robe. Her face was light brown and her feather hands light purple.</p><p>"It's okay," the female bird said. "I'm feeling just a little cold."</p><p>Po touched her arm. "A little? You are almost undercooled. You need something warm."</p><p>"No, I have to go on…"</p><p>She wanted to stand up, but suddenly…</p><p>Po became frightened and leaned forward before she fell back to the snow.</p><p>"Hey, can you hear me? Hello? Hello?!"</p><p>But the girl said no word anymore. Her eyes were almost closed. No, she couldn't go one step anymore.</p><p>"Don't worry. I will bring you to a warm place."</p><p>Carefully, he picked her up and carried her through the snow landscape.</p><p>While the way, he realized two things.</p><p>First, she wasn't heavy. And second, she was a peahen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. I found you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Dad?"</p><p>"Oh, Po. So quick?"</p><p>"Dad, come quickly!"</p><p>At next second, Mr. Ping looked around the corner. He almost forgot his leg when he saw the peahen in Po's arms.</p><p>"Oh, who's that?"</p><p>"I found her outside. She needs heat."</p><hr/><p>"What a luck," Mr. Ping said. "The small chilblains will heal up soon again."</p><p>"Thanks for your help, dad."</p><p>Po sat next to his bed where the peahen was lying now. She was still unconscious, but breathed regularly.</p><p>"I wonder what she was doing here. In the deepest wintertime."</p><p>"Oh, look."</p><p>The peahen moved her face muscles and began to blink.</p><p>Po came closer and waved his hand. "Hi."</p><p>Slowly she opened her eyes a little. "Where am I? I was… in snow…"</p><p>"Now you are in a warm bed."</p><p>She touched the blanket.</p><p>"How are you feeling?"</p><p>"A little… woozy."</p><p>"This will pass off," Mr. Ping calmed her and handed a bowl. "I have a soup for you. This will warm you up."</p><p>Po helped her to sit up. At least she had collected enough force to hold the bowl. With a thankful nod, she took it. "Thanks."</p><p>She took several sips. The damp moved under her breaths.</p><p>Po tried a dialog. "What's your name?"</p><p>She hesitated a moment before she answered.</p><p>"Xia."</p><p>"Nice to meet you. I'm Po. And this is my father."</p><p>She looked blank. "Your father?"</p><p>"Well, we don't look similar but still…"</p><p>He watched her. Was she still confused about his father?</p><p>Silently she sat in the bed, stared at the soup bowl like in a trance and moved her lips gently. "A father."</p><p>"Everything okay?"</p><p>She winced. "No, yes… eh… I don't know."</p><p>She put the bowl aside and rubbed her forehead with a deep sigh.</p><p>"Well, what's your aim?" Po asked carefully. "Why did you walk through the snow?"</p><p>She looked up and eyed him unsurely. But with a sign of desperation.</p><p>"I was on my way to find the Dragon Warrior. He should live in a Valley of Peace."</p><p>Po opened his eyes wide with surprise.</p><p>"You are in the Valley of Peace."</p><p>Now her eyes grew wide. "Am I?"</p><p>"Yes, and the Dragon Warrior, who you are looking for, is standing in front of you."</p><p>"You? You are the Dragon Warrior?"</p><p>Po smiled. "Well, maybe it doesn't seem so, but it's me, official."</p><p>The panda winced, when he saw tears in her eyes.</p><p>"Thanks energy on earth, I found you!"</p><p>Po flinched. The peahen had jumped out and grabbed his arm.</p><p>"Now everything will come good."</p><p>She leaned her head on his fur that he blushed a little. "Eh, thanks, eh… do you need help?"</p><p>She loosened her grasp and looked at him with pleading eyes. "More from another one."</p><p>"Another one?"</p><p>"Yes, I searched for you so that you can tell me where I can find him."</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>"Lord Shen."</p><p>Po opened his eyes wide. "Why do you want to know?"</p><p>"Just show me. It's very important!"</p><p>Her grasp became tighter.</p><p>Po didn't know what he should think about that and eyed her. She was young, maybe younger than him. But why did she want to see the lord? He moved his mouth skeptically. She was a peahen and he was a peacock. Maybe a devotee. Shen wasn't an unknown person.</p><p>"I don't know whether he wants to see someone."</p><p>"I have to see him! Right now!"</p><p>"Right now? You're not serious, are you? It's winter. The streets are covered in snow. You better wait until… maybe next week."</p><p>"No! I must talk to him immediately! It's a matter of life and death!"</p><p>"Life and death? Uhm, in this case is it an emergency?"</p><p>"Yes, it is."</p><p>"Mmm, well…"</p><p>Po thought about it. "If it is so urgent."</p><p>"But Po," Mr. Ping said. "Do you know where he is living now?"</p><p>"Of course, I know."</p><p>Mr. Ping was surprised. "Really, how?"</p><p>"He wrote me a letter many weeks ago."</p><p>With that, he walked up to a corner of his room where he stored everything; his toys, bowls and papers.</p><p>"Oh, here it is."</p><p>He took out a scroll.</p><p>"He wrote that he has built a town in the Mianyang Mountains."</p><p>"In the Mianyang Mountains?" Mr. Ping wasn't happy about that. "But Po, that's more than four days away from here. In wintertime, you will need five days, maybe."</p><p>"I hazard the consequences," Xia said. "I'm fast."</p><p>"Wait, you want to go to there? Alone?"</p><p>"I walked alone the whole time."</p><p>"But maybe you will get problems in front of his house."</p><p>"Why, Po?" Mr. Ping asked.</p><p>"He wrote that nobody has the right to go inside without permission. The town is still in building modus and he doesn't allow strangers. And I can't allow her to go alone, maybe she could freeze to death."</p><p>Mr. Ping held his breath. "You can't allow… wait, wait! What are you talking about? You don't want to let her go alone? Po, you don't dare, do you?"</p><p>"But dad, she can't go without company."</p><p>"Company?" Xia looked at him with big eyes. "Does it mean, you want to come with me?"</p><p>"Of course, I will. As the Dragon Warrior I'm always ready to help."</p><p>"But Po, what will your teacher say?"</p><p>"What should he say?"</p><p>"You know he will not be amused about your plans."</p><p>"Shifu? Oh, don't worry, I will persuade him."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A question of trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"No, Po!"</p><p>"But, Master…"</p><p>"No, you have to stay here!"</p><p>"But it's an emergency. It's a matter of life and death. Isn't it?"</p><p>Xia nodded.</p><p>She stood with Po and Master Shifu in the palace hall. Shifu walked up and down, and gave her a skeptical look. It wasn't to Shifu's liking that she was a peahen.</p><p>"Your place is here," he tried again.</p><p>"But the furious five are here. They are strong enough to protect the valley without me, like they did in the past."</p><p>Shifu stopped, his hands on his back crossed and glared at the panda grimly.</p><p>"Po, come here."</p><p>The Dragon Warrior sighed. He gave Xia an apologizing sign and followed Shifu into a corner of the hall.</p><p>"What makes you so sure that you can trust her?" Master Shifu hissed so that she couldn't hear them.</p><p>"I don't know. I know it somehow."</p><p>"That's not an explanation."</p><p>"But I'm the only one who could bring her into the new city."</p><p>"And what makes you sure that Shen let you go again?"</p><p>"But Master Shifu, we gave the promise each other that we would let rest the weapons."</p><p>Shifu narrowed his eyes. "It's easy for him to break a promise. Think about it. He is still an outlaw."</p><p>"Master." Po gave his teacher a pleading look. "Please, let me go with her. I will keep on and on until she is in her aim."</p><p>"Do you know what she wants there?"</p><p>"No, she doesn't want to say."</p><p>"Why do want to run a risk?"</p><p>"Because I trust them. I can't believe that she has bad intentions, and I don't believe that Shen will threaten me. I will prove that he can trust me."</p><p>Master Shifu kept his eyes on the panda. "Po, trusting can change to naivety quickly. This can be dangerous."</p><p>"Even if so, let me go to find it out."</p><p>Shifu sighed and looked at the floor with sorrow. "I see, my influence is not strong enough. But be warned, you will be on your own. Completely on your own."</p><p>"I know. Don't worry. I was together with him alone before. It can only get better."</p><hr/><p>"Po, make sure that you eat enough."</p><p>Mr. Ping pulled a big backpack. "I packed in a lot of it."</p><p>"Dad. You shouldn't pull heavy things with your leg," Po said and took the backpack. "And by the way, we come over to a lot of hostels."</p><p>"You can become hungry every moment on your way."</p><p>"Okay, dad."</p><p>With that Po strapped the rucksack on his shoulders.</p><p>He stood in front of Mr. Ping's house and was ready for the journey.</p><p>Master Shifu still disagreed his decision. "Even though I disapprove your plans of your journey, so I wish you good luck. And that you come back safely."</p><p>"All clear, Master. See you."</p><p>"And we shouldn't accompany you?"</p><p>Monkey was a little disappointed that their best friend was going to make a journey without them.</p><p>But Po shook his head and looked thankfully at his five friends.</p><p>"No, thanks, but no. Shen said, he doesn't allow other people in his town. Especially no Kung Fu fighter, beside me. You have the task to take care for the valley. But…"</p><p>He bent forward at them. "Do me the favor and help my father a little with his housework."</p><p>"What did you say, Po?"</p><p>"Nothing dad. Alright. See you!"</p><p>"Oh, Po."</p><p>Mr. Ping gave him a last embracement. "Take good care for you and come back safely."</p><p>"I will do, dad. And promise me that you favor your leg. Okay. Let's go."</p><p>Xia had waited at the gate of the restaurant. She gave him a thankful nod.</p><p>"You don't have to do that, you know."</p><p>"I know," Po said and smiled. "But it's a pleasure for me to bring you to the city. Well then, bye! Goodbye friends. Goodbye, Master Shifu. Goodbye dad."</p><p>Mr. Ping and his friends waved at him. Just Master Shifu stared at him and muttered just one sentence. "Good luck, Dragon Warrior."</p><hr/><p>They were travelling several days through snow and ice. They make pauses in many hostels. On the second from the last day, they reached the last hostel next to the Mianyang Mountains.</p><p>"Thank you very much, that you give us a room," Po said and entered a little room what the warden of the restaurant, an old goose, had given them.</p><p>"We have seldom visitors," he said and presented them their beds. "For one night, you can stay here. Good night."</p><p>"Good night."</p><p>The warden left them and closed the door.</p><p>Po looked out of the window where the first mountains were visible. "Well, we are on the edge of the Mianyang Mountains. And tomorrow we will be at the city."</p><p>With that he laid down on the bed and stretched his cold legs. "Oh, oh. What a walk. What about your legs? Are they frozen too?"</p><p>When he heard no answer, he looked up. The peahen stood at the window and looked out. It became dark outside.</p><p>"Po?"</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"What kind of person is he?"</p><p>"Mmh?"</p><p>"I mean," she loosened herself from the window and walked to him. "You told me that you and him, you were enemies from the first day on, weren't you?"</p><p>"Mm, yes."</p><p>"And now?"</p><p>Po lowered his face. He didn't know whether it was smart to tell her the whole truth about him. And he had to admit he didn't know the whole life of the lord, who murdered his family and much more people. Who was she? What should she know and what not?</p><p>The peahen kneaded her hands. "You don't have to answer if you don't want."</p><p>"Yes, yes, but, well, that's a long, story. Very long story."</p><p>"I have time."</p><p>The panda was a little impressed. She wanted to know something, but she didn't dare to force him. Po sighed and decided to tell just the main events what he knew.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>He sat up in his bed while Xia took place in her own bed and watched him carefully.</p><p>Po cleaned his throat. "Well, everything stared far away in a city named Gongmen, but my real life began in the Valley of Peace…"</p><p>With that Po started to tell what had happened in the past. First how he became the Dragon Warrior, and how he knew about that he learned, his father wasn't his father, the way to Gongmen City, and what Shen was going to do. But he didn't tell details about the massacre in the panda village. Then about how he found his inner peace, how he defeated Shen's army, how he met Shen again and what had happened in the Valley of Peace until the Festival of Peace Day.</p><p>Xia didn't interrupt him, she listened to his words like in a deep dream.</p><p>"And this was the last day, when I saw him," Po closed his story. "Until he sent me a letter. But he added that it wasn't his own idea, just because of his soothsayer who had advised him to inform me."</p><p>He looked at her. Still caught in his report.</p><p>"And that was all."</p><p>Like it was a keyword, the peahen moved like after waking up from a trance.</p><p>Then she lowered her glance and whispered a soft: "Thanks."</p><p>Po watched how she laid herself on the bed and stared at the ceiling.</p><p>"Do you want to talk or to know anything else?" He asked carefully.</p><p>She shook her head. "No, but thanks that you told me."</p><p>"No problem," Po answered unsurely. Was that good or bad?</p><p>He looked outside. The night had filled the landscape.</p><p>"Well, we should sleep. And tomorrow we will see."</p><p>"Mm, yes, we will see."</p><p>Her voice sounded a little weak, but Po didn't want to ask her more.</p><p>"Okay, good night.</p><p>"Good night."</p><p>And these were the last bandy words in this night.</p><hr/><p>"Okay, this sign is new."</p><p>Po eyed the wooden sign and rubbed his chin.</p><p>They stood in the snowed mountains on a big path, which guided them through the mountains.</p><p>"Changkong," he read. "Well, either it is the name of the city or just the area. Whatever, let's continue. It must be over the top of this hill."</p><p>Po walked first. Xia followed him. A little slower now than before.</p><p>"Are you cold?" Po asked.</p><p>"Not really."</p><p>She wrapped the robe closer around her body.</p><p>"We're almost there. I'm sure we will get a warm place there…"</p><p>He became silent. Xia looked at him with surprise. "Is anything wrong?"</p><p>"Eh, no, just some…"</p><p>He pointed ahead.</p><p>At the end of the path where the way ascended steeply, stood two big figures in thick sheepskins.</p><p>"I think we are closer than I thought," Po muttered and walked over to them and waved his hand.</p><p>"Hey! Hello! Are we right for the city of Lord Shen? He should live here."</p><p>The two he-goats stared down grimly at the strange travelers.</p><p>"Who wants to know that?" one of them asked with deep annoyed voice.</p><p>"Well," Po tried again. "We were in near and… oh."</p><p>Now he saw the wooden sign behind the two guards with a big red peacock, with wide wings and long feathers.</p><p>"Wow, he changed his logo. Very nice."</p><p>The two he-goats snorted angrily and Po came back to the reason of their arrival.</p><p>"We want to talk to Lord Shen. Is he at home?"</p><p>The big goats snorted loudly that their wind blew over their heads.</p><p>"No strangers. Order."</p><p>"Well, we, or I'm not a stranger. I'm the Dragon Warrior."</p><p>The guards were unimpressed.</p><p>"No stranger. No almost-stranger. No one."</p><p>"But it's very important. Announce us."</p><p>"The lord doesn't allow visit."</p><p>"Hey, don't you have something better to do than making small talk?"</p><p>A very little sheep, with little horns on his head and red-yellow coat, appeared between the two giants, but he had the voice of an adult man. Now he saw the journey people, too.</p><p>"Who's that?"</p><p>"Troublemakers. They want to see the lord."</p><p>"Sorry, the lord is very busy."</p><p>Now Po became impatient. "We too. It's an emergency."</p><p>But the little sheep had no interest. "Sorry, take them away."</p><p>"EY! That's an impertinence to treat the Dragon Warrior like that!"</p><p>Suddenly the sheep stopped in his steps. "You are the Dragon Warrior?"</p><p>"Well, it doesn't look like maybe. But it's me."</p><p>"Oh, in this case, that's another matter. Let him through."</p><p>Po was confused. Was this sheep serious or should that be a joke to throw them out again?</p><p>"For real? No kidding?"</p><p>The sheep waved his hand. "Just come."</p><p>"And what about her? She is with me."</p><p>Po pointed at Xia, who still stood in front of the guarded "door" and looked unsurely between the guards.</p><p>The little sheep stroked over his chin. "Well. The lord will see."</p><p>Po sighed with relief. "You heard it, come in."</p><p>First Xia hesitated, but then she gave herself a jerk and walked up the way which the little sheep went and together they climbed up the hill.</p><p>"How do you know about me?" Po asked.</p><p>"Every one of us know you," the sheep answered.</p><p>"But not these two."</p><p>"They have their orders and they take their job seriously. Everyone could say, he would be the Dragon Warrior."</p><p>"And why do you believe that I'm the Dragon Warrior?"</p><p>"My grand aunt commented that she would expect you."</p><p>"Your grand aunt?"</p><p>Po hesitated a moment. "Could it be…"</p><p>Suddenly he stopped. They had reached the top of the hill. All looked down with open mouths.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The city of the peacock</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Po rubbed his eyes and stared ahead again.</p><p>Down the hill there lay a gigantic plateau between lower and higher mountains. On this flat mountain area stood a collection of buildings covered and filled over and over in construction zones.</p><p>In these zones moved and worked many and many sheep, goats and rams.</p><p>Panda and peahen were so caught that they didn't realize the waving hand of the little sheep, who signaled them to follow him.</p><p>They followed a board way until they reached the construction area of a city wall with a big gate.</p><p>On the left and to the right stood big goats. Po eyed the big door where on every wing of the door was a red peacock with open wings. Po couldn't say whether they showed an attack or a welcome position. Maybe both.</p><p>The big guard goats snorted and stared down at them.</p><p>But the little sheep wasn't afraid and moved his hand. "Open the gate."</p><p>Po had thought it would be a problem, but no long and the gates were opened.</p><p>The little sheep walked in first. The visitors followed.</p><p>Po waved his hand at one of the guards.</p><p>"Hey buddy, what's up?"</p><p>But the goat didn't reply. He only stared at him with grim eyes.</p><p>Po forced a smile. "The same to you."</p><p>Quickly he ran forward and became slowly and looked around.</p><p>"Wow."</p><p>Never in his life Po had seen so many building sites in one place. Heavy laden sheep and goats which pulled carts with stones and other building materials. Others built little Chinese houses, sheep cleaned the rooms, others cooked food. Along the walls and houses were affixed ropes to pull up the stones.</p><p>"Very busy place," Po muttered.</p><p>"The town is still new," the little sheep said. "But we make progress."</p><p>They walked through the building site new city until they met their chief aim.</p><p>"Uh," Po said. "That's very impressive."</p><p>They stood again in front of a wall what Po reminded to the walls around the tower of Gongmen City, but this time without a tower in the middle.</p><p>Po craned his neck, but he didn't have to flounder long. The gates of the wall were opened and Po had to say again, wow.</p><p>On the left and to the right and distributed stood again several big goats and rams with lances along the wall. The little sheep guided them forward and they crossed a wide empty yard. Po got a shiver under his fur. It was like a collection place for an army. The wideness of this place forced him to look around. Was that a trap?</p><p>But the goats and rams who walked on the walls didn't seem to have an attack in mind. But they watched them carefully.</p><p>Now they reached the big main house. It had the typical Chinese roof and reminded him to the jade palace. Just much bigger. The walls were painted red, the pillars of silver, the facades covered with wafting flags with red peacocks on white ground or white peacock and red background. But no building areas around. Maybe this house was finished first.</p><p>"Very nice," Po said and stopped.</p><p>"AHA, my old enemy and friend…"</p><p>Xia watched the panda who lifted his eyes.</p><p>"Stairs!"</p><p>The palace building stood in the empty place like an island. But to reach the house door, someone had to climb up the stairs which were hundred or more.</p><p>"Well, better this than at home," Po sighed and climbed up the first steps.</p><p>He hesitated and turned around.</p><p>Xia was still standing there and seemed to be unsure.</p><p>"Oh, come on," Po said. "That's much better than to climb up a mountain."</p><p>Now she gave herself a jerk and took one step after another. Together they walked up until the last step was overcame and stood in front of big wings of doors.</p><p>The sheep knocked against it. No long and a very, very little window in the door was opened.</p><p>The ram inside the house asked something, and the sheep answered. Shortly after the window was closed and the door opened.</p><p>They entered a white, red, paired with colors of gold, silver decorated corridor, with elaborately decorated walls and ceilings. Patterns of peacocks, peahens and flowers, trees, houses had painted or carved into walls, pillars, vases and tables.</p><p>Po fell like to be in a Chinese art museum. That was more than a palace. But peacocks were very well art lovers like their colors and feathers.</p><p>Po stopped when he heard a loud single bell.</p><p>"Follow me," the little sheep said.</p><p>They walked along the long corridor and guided them to a big hall, decorated with big white, red flags. At the end of the hall lay a big chair and Po knew immediately, it was a throne chair.</p><p>The sheep stopped and lifted his right hand.</p><p>"Wait a moment."</p><p>With that, he left them and disappeared through a door at the end of the hall.</p><p>Po took the time and put his rucksack aside.</p><p>"Mm. He was in a generous mood."</p><p>He laughed. "Wow, what a gigantic vase. I wonder what's in there."</p><p>His fascination was interrupted when he realized that Xia looked at all sites and kneaded her fingers nervously.</p><p>"Don't be nervous," he said and smiled at her. "I will talk to him first."</p><p>The peahen looked at him and tried to smile, but it didn't work like she wanted.</p><p>And before Po could ask a question, he heard little footsteps on the floor.</p><p>The little sheep appeared and waved his hand to the right.</p><p>"The lord receives you now."</p><p>A loud stroke of a gong echoed through the hall and faded away. But then the dying sound was accompanied by clear clicking footsteps.</p><p>They waited. Po got a shiver when he realized a movement through the site door of the hall.</p><p>First, there was a wave of a robe, followed by a white figure.</p><p>Po kept his breath when the white lord entered the hall room with slow steps. He wore a silver robe with red embroideries. He had laid his hands together under his robe, like always, his expression suffused with pride and calm like he wouldn't be from the world. His emanating of elegance wasn't lost. He still looked frail, but his nimbleness wasn't to be underestimated. And Po knew it very well.</p><p>His long feathers were grown again to their full length again and wiped over the shiny stone floor.</p><p>The peacock walked along and stopped in front of the throne, looked down at them. Po broke the first ground and waved his hand.</p><p>"Hi, long time no see." The panda bit his underlip. Then he lowered his face respectfully. "Peace be with you."</p><p>The lord took a deep breath, what sounded more like a sigh, but he kept his proud expression on his face.</p><p>"Greetings, panda."</p><p>The Dragon Warrior sighed. "Couldn't you call me Po? Why so formal?"</p><p>The lord lifted his nose a little higher. "That's beseems, panda."</p><p>Po shrugged his shoulders and looked around. "Nice house, very big, very impressive. How did you get this place?"</p><p>The lord walked a few steps forward, while he waved his hand around.</p><p>"See, after I found the last fortune what my father bequeathed, I bought the land from this folk, provided that they will live in this city and to build it up for me."</p><p>He let wander his glance. "You see, they are eager and all of them are loyal workers."</p><p>He made a break and rested his eyes on the panda.</p><p>"But what's your reason to come here?"</p><p>He had a little unsureness in his eyes.</p><p>"Oh, yes, yes. Sorry, I was so impressed of your new… residence, that I forgot… I… no, not me, her… I have… there is someone who wants to see you."</p><p>He waved his hands behind and pointed at the peahen, who had taken down her hat. Po made few steps backwards and looked at one to another with moving eyes and rubbed his palms in excitement.</p><p>The two birds looked at each other. There was silence. No one of them spoke a word. The panda scanned their faces carefully. Xia, more anxious, and Shen – no reaction.</p><p>"Who are you?" was his only neutral question.</p><p>Po let fall his shoulders in disappointment. They weren't familiar with each other?</p><p>The peahen moved her lips and managed to give a sound.</p><p>"Uhm, my name is Xia."</p><p>For a moment she had lowered her head, but then she got the courage to look at him again.</p><p>Shen looked like misunderstood and moved his mouth in skepticism.</p><p>"And? Do we know each other?"</p><p>The girl put her finger feathers together and tapped them nervously. "Uhm, well, not really."</p><p>She sighed deeply.</p><p>Shen was still waiting for a detailed answer. He made one step forward, his face covered with suspicion. "I don't know you. How do you know we know each other not really?"</p><p>"I… I…"</p><p>Po rubbed his forehead. It was like she had forgotten the text until she took a new breath.</p><p>"I'm your daughter."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. True or false</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It felt like death. Or so Po thought he would feel like that. The air was like killed. No word, no sound, no nothing around him. He just dared to give a single sound: "Huh?"</p><p>Like under a spell, he watched the two birds, which still didn't move or spoke. They stood there like stones. Xia like frozen, and Shen – Po didn't know – like he had heard nothing.</p><p>The panda didn't dare to ask a question, until like sun melted the ice in the room.</p><p>Shen began to move his lips. Po thought he would say a word, but instead, the lord started with a chuckle.</p><p>"You are joking, don't you?"</p><p>Po opened his mouth with surprise. He had expected the lord would ask, how and why. Was the master of his special martial art irritated?</p><p>But the panda kept silent and paid his full attention to Xia.</p><p>But the peahen didn't say a word. She was still like stone. She just looked at the lord without to break the eye contact.</p><p>Meanwhile Shen smirked quietly. "No. Right?"</p><p>Xia still stared at him.</p><p>"You aren't serious, are you?"</p><p>Po realized, the ruler lost more and more his self-assurance.</p><p>Shen made few steps closer to her, always looking for a doubt in her eyes, but her eyes didn't laugh. The lord stopped. His sense of jokes completely gone.</p><p>No, she was serious.</p><p>For a moment, Po thought he would give in, but then the white emperor found back his dignity.</p><p>In one second, the lord tightened his position and made a graceful face.</p><p>"Nice, but sorry that I have to disappoint you. Anybody could say that. And that's a cheap joke."</p><p>"No, you are my father!"</p><p>Po became frightened. The expression of the lord got an angry wave. And he knew that wasn't a good sign. But the white peacock managed to keep his calm. He closed and opened his eyes several times slowly before he continued.</p><p>"You can be glad, that I'm in a good mood today. For this reason, I connive that message and pray you to leave my house now, if it's not a trouble to you. Right?"</p><p>Po winced. Tears filled her eyes. The panda took the courage in both hands and walked between them.</p><p>"Don't worry," he said and touched her arm. "I'm sure everything will clear up."</p><p>"Panda?!"</p><p>Po froze while Shen moved his finger warningly at his direction. "Could I speak with you a very, very <em>short </em>moment?!"</p><p>Po swallowed. The voice of the lord sounded very harshly.</p><p>"Uhm, of course."</p><p>Po forced a smile and waved at Xia.</p><p>"Excuse us."</p><p>With that he followed the lord to a corner of the hall.</p><p>"Are you crazy to pull everyone to me?" Shen hissed at him quietly and Po replied a little indignantly.</p><p>"Sorry, I didn't know that she is your daughter."</p><p>"She isn't my daughter!"</p><p>"How do you want to know that?"</p><p>"I know it! I know more than you!"</p><p>"Oh really?" Po crossed his arms. "Think about it. Was there ever someone in your life?"</p><p>"No!"</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yes, really."</p><p>"Are you sure?"</p><p>"Yes, I'm sure!"</p><p>Po narrowed his eyes.</p><p>"Really? Really?"</p><p>Shen hissed, but he got a malicious smile. "Be careful, panda! You seem to forget where you are. I said I would let rest my weapons, but from time to time, I'm itching to throw this at you."</p><p>Po winced when the lord darted a feather knife out of his wing.</p><p>"Uhm, you are still wearing these things? Are they sharp? Ouch!"</p><p>The panda waved his finger when he had touched the top of the feather blade.</p><p>Shen grinned. "Very sharp."</p><p>Po swallowed, but he found back his courage. "And you seem to forget what you have done. Say. You're sure that she isn't your daughter?"</p><p>"Yes!"</p><p>"But why is she asking for you? Why should she search for you, through the winter? Believe me, it's very cold outside."</p><p>The lord snorted with disgust. "That would be not the first time that someone personates as lost family part. Believe me. I've heard about that several times in royal circles."</p><p>Po rubbed his head nervously. He couldn't believe that she was a liar.</p><p>"Well. But cross my heart. If so. If you are right. But could there be someone who could play that game with you? Maybe you met someone and she wants to make you think that you had children. Remember. Was there a special person who you had met in the past. Think about it."</p><p>The two competitors stared at each other. Shen with rage, Po with sad anger.</p><p>Finally, the lord sighed. But he kept his angry look.</p><p>"Well, maybe. One day… but that was nothing!"</p><p>"Nothing?" Po opened his eyes wide. "That looks different. That speaks for itself."</p><p>The peacock hissed. "Anyone could aver that."</p><p>"I can't believe, that she is lying."</p><p>The lord took a sharp breath. "Naivity can be very dangerous."</p><p>Po sighed. "That's not new for me. But Shen, before you make a mistake, give her the chance to prove her assertion. Just with that you can get certainty."</p><p>Shen was unamazed of that suggestion.</p><p>Po rubbed his chin. "Mm, say, when was that "one day"?"</p><p>The lord narrowed his eyes with disgust. He eyed over to Xia, then back to Po.</p><p>"Over 10 years ago," he muttered between his teeth. "19 years more precisely."</p><p>Po looked over to her. "Say, how old are you?"</p><p>"18."</p><p>Po looked back at Shen. "That fits."</p><p>"Pure coincidence. That's not a proof."</p><p>Po was disappointed. But then the lord smiled evilly.</p><p>"Well then, maybe something else."</p><p>With that he passed the panda and walked over to the peahen. She ducked her head a little when the lord came closer.</p><p>"Well, if you say, that you are really my daughter, then… tell me the name of your mother."</p><p>Xia looked at Po. This one nodded encouraging.</p><p>The peahen hesitated a moment before she spoke.</p><p>"Yin-Yu."</p><p>"Ha!" Shen's mocking laugh let the panda wince.</p><p>"She had a different name!"</p><p>With disappointment Po lowered his face. What a shame. In contrast to Shen, who looked like a winner and didn't care about the desperate girl.</p><p>"Sorry, but that was just a mistake. Maybe it's the best you look for another one."</p><p>With that the lord turned around.</p><p>"Wait!"</p><p>With anger the white emperor looked back. Meanwhile the girl took out something from her wing.</p><p>"Look. That's what she was wearing the whole time with her."</p><p>Po came closer and saw a white feather with a red mark on her hand.</p><p>It was clearly a feather of him.</p><p>"That's impossible!" The lord said hoarsely. "You…"</p><p>He felt Po's glance. Shen gave him an aggressive look.</p><p>"She must have found it outside! That's still not a proof!"</p><p>Po moved his mouth. "Do you have feather loss?"</p><p>A hard look and Po ducked.</p><p>"Sorry. But there must be a way to give you a…"</p><p>"You heard it, panda! I never met someone with that name. What was it?"</p><p>"Yin-Yu."</p><p>"No, her name was Fang…."</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>Po avoided his glance quickly.</p><p>"No more questions, panda, alright?"</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>"But you must be my father!"</p><p>Po was afraid Shen could lose his self-control and tried to save what he could.</p><p>"Hey!" Po snapped his fingers. "Could you describe her? Maybe this could help us. What do you think?"</p><p>He looked at Shen pleadingly and this time it was not a problem.</p><p>"Alright." The lord admitted. "But just to bring this comedy to an end. Liang?"</p><p>In next the moment the little sheep appeared next to him.</p><p>"Yes, Master Shen?"</p><p>"Bring Chun-Chen. Immediately."</p><p>"Yes, Master Shen."</p><p>Po had no idea. "Who is Chun-Chen?"</p><p>"Chun-Chen is the best painter and artist in the whole province," the lord explained. "You will give him a description and he will paint it."</p><p>He gave Xia a warning look. "But should it be not familiar to me…" He came closer. "Then you leave my house immediately, right?"</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"Fine."</p><p>As if he had waited around the corner, Chun-Chen, an old goat, looked into the hall in short time.</p><p>"You asked for me, Master Shen?"</p><p>"That woman will give you a description of a person," the lord came to the point. "Ask every detail and make your work good. I expect a lot."</p><p>Chun-Chen nodded. "As you wish, Master Shen."</p><hr/><p>Shen had retraced into the rearmost part of the hall. Po stood in his near and walked up and down. At the other end of the hall they could hear how Xia talked with the goat. From time to time Po picked up words like about hair color and eye color etc.</p><p>With every minute he became more nervous. What will the lord say if he saw the picture what Xia had in her head about her mother?</p><p>He watched the lord, but he seemed to be relaxed. Was he right and the wrong name of the woman was a different person? Was that a mistake?</p><p>Po scratched over his head. That was so nerve-jangling.</p><p>Finally, there was a movement. Po held his breath. The goat came over to them with a paper in his hands.</p><p>"Master, it's done."</p><p>With lowered face, he handed the paper to the white lord. Po craned his head look to catch a glimpse what face was painted on the paper. He bit his under lip, while the lord eyed the drawing.</p><p>First, there was no expression on his face, but suddenly his finger feathers bent around the paper. Suddenly he crumpled it. Po backed away two steps from the lord. There was a rage on his face that he had never seen like while their last final battle in Gongmen City. Po was afraid the lord would hit him, but instead the white bird threw the drawing on the floor and hit with his foot on it. His sharp claws dug in. Then he turned around with high speed and scurried away.</p><p>Po didn't know what to say and picked the paper up.</p><p>"Oh." He eyed the face, which was drawn on it. He had to admit that peahen looked very beautiful. Her feathers and neck were almost dark brown, but with scattered white silver looking feathers inside and gave her a harmonious muster. Her eyes looked like silver and her beak light gray, but it wasn't a bleak gray and mixed with golden shimmer. Po looked at Xia. The girl looked more sad than afraid.</p><p>The panda bent over to Chun-Chen.</p><p>"Wow, you are a great artist. Deference for you." He looked at the direction where Shen was gone. "Excuse me."</p><hr/><p>With loud smash the lord swung open the doors of his private room, let out an angry scream and kicked with all force against a chair, which shattered against the wall.</p><p>Po stood in the corridor and heard the loud rumble in the room. He waited more than two minutes until the noise died.</p><p>Carefully the panda peeked into the room.</p><p>The lord lay panting on the ground. His upper body supported on his arms and stared at the floor.</p><p>Slowly the panda walked into the room. "Is she it?"</p><p>The peacock was still panting, but he nodded with shaking movements.</p><p>"I never forgot her face."</p><p>Po looked again at the picture in his hands.</p><p>"Maybe there is an explanation for this."</p><p>"Explanation?" the lord laughed hoarsely. "What an explanation could there be for that?"</p><p>Po shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, I know many people who had extraordinary explanations for things."</p><p>Silence fell. Until the lord stood up and walked to a window. Po came closer and watched him.</p><p>"You said, there was a day. But what happened on this day?"</p><p>The lord stared through the window. "One day," the lord whispered calmer, but heaviness lay in his voice. "This day, it was a snowed day like today. But a stormy day. A stormy day in the high mountains."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Over 10 years ago…</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Deep in thoughts the lord sat in his quarter, hunched over paper and plans. His factory was almost ready. But the snowstorm was so heavy that he couldn't continue the works. With deep sight the white exiled prince looked around. That wasn't a dignified place for someone like his origin. It was a big cave. Deep hidden in the mountains. But this will change soon. Very soon. And no longer and he could feel again like a lord in a kingdom.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Master Shen."</em></p><p>
  <em>The lord looked up. Wolves came in.</em>
</p><p>"<em>We found this individual in near your factory building site."</em></p><p>
  <em>The guards threw something on the floor, covered in brown old clothes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was a sobbing sound. The lord didn't need long to realize that it was a female voice. But despite, he took a knife and came closer. The woman hid her face under an old robe. Carefully the lord lifted it with the blade. The female winced and stepped back, but the wolves pushed her forward again. She almost stumbled and fell against the peacock.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Quickly he pushed her away and she sank to the ground. With a warning hissing he pointed the knife at her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>How can you dare to enter my territory?!" he asked angrily. Then he looked at the guards.</em></p><p>"<em>I thought your men are watching the area."</em></p><p>"<em>The storm is too strong," one of the wolves explained. "We had to shorten the watching hours."</em></p><p>
  <em>The lord growled. "Nobody is allowed to take one step on my land! Otherwise, something like that could happen!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He swung the knife. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A big cut destroyed the brown cloth.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why did you spy around my private houses?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The female ahead of him trembled. "I didn't know where I went," she whispered hoarsely. "The storm hid the way."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord snorted. "Think about another excuse before I execute you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The figure sank more down while the lord bent down to her. "Believe me," he whispered dangerously. "I have no trouble to kill a woman. Spies and betrayers have no right to breathe the air of the world any longer."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He guided the knife ahead and lifted the robe. There was a movement and two silver anxious eyes looked at him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The white prince lowered his knife a little and stared at her. Never before he had seen a peahen like her. She lowered her face and laid herself on the floor.</em>
</p><p>"<em>If so, then make it," she said exhausted. "I have no one who cares about my death."</em></p><p>
  <em>The white bird stood up and looked down at her. It needed more than five seconds, until he found back his language. </em>
</p><p>"<em>So, nobody sent you to me?"</em></p><p>"<em>No one. I only looked for a place to find protection from the coldness."</em></p><p>
  <em>He narrowed his eyes. "Where do you come from?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>From far away. I'm without a fixed abode."</em></p><p>"<em>Very suspicious."</em></p><p>"<em>Then kill me."</em></p><p>"<em>Mm. I will keep you here to be sure you didn't want to spy me."</em></p><p>
  <em>She lifted her head.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What's your name?"</em></p><p>"<em>Fang."</em></p><p>
  <em>He lifted his nose. "Alright, Fang. If you only are looking for a shelter, you can stay here until the storm is over."</em>
</p><hr/><p>"Why did you spare her if you thought she was a spy?" Po interrupted.</p><p>Shen gave him an angry look. "I don't know."</p><p>He snorted and muttered very, very quietly. "What would you do if you see a beautiful woman in such a wasteland?"</p><p>Po didn't hear it. "What?"</p><p>"Nothing!"</p><p>He cleaned his throat.</p><p>"One day grew into over one week. She understood me more than anyone had ever done. I showed her all. My buildings, my plans. We shared so many things."</p><p>"I thought you thought, she would be a spy."</p><p>Shen hissed and the panda kept quiet.</p><p>"You have no knowledge about many things."</p><p>A little soft smile crossed his lips.</p><p>"And after the eighth day…"</p><p>The lord interrupted himself with a break.</p><p>"Well, I was young. You can imagine the rest."</p><p>Po bowed his head. "Uhm, no."</p><p>Shen gave him a "how-stupid-are-you" look.</p><p>Po thought a moment. "OH, <em>that</em> thing, okay."</p><p>"Anyway, after that night, we spent the next morning together. The snow storm was gone. It was a nice walk in the snow. Until… while that she said, she had to go for a brief moment. And then…"</p><p>Po waited that he continued.</p><p>"She never came back."</p><p>"Uhm, what, why?" Po asked.</p><p>But Shen didn't answer his question. "My soldiers looked and searched the whole mountains. But she was undiscoverable."</p><p>Po looked at him silently. The first time the lord looked so sad.</p><p>The panda eyed the portrait again. "But now you have a new trace."</p><p>Shen snorted and looked with disgust at the paper. "That only proves, she lied to me!"</p><p>He knocked it out of the panda's hands.</p><p>"Since then, I know she had used me for her pleasure!"</p><p>Po lifted his hands in protection and swallowed. "You don't think so, do you?"</p><p>"YES, I <em>think</em> so! In the past and today! She let me fall after she had her fun with me!"</p><p>Po stepped back. "Uhm, Shen?" He began carefully. "Maybe she had had an accident. Maybe she had gotten an amnesia."</p><p>"Aha." Shen laughed. "A so big amnesia that she could remember about me that I would have a daughter?"</p><p>Po lowered his glance. "Shen. While she loved you – you know, uhm, did you have the impression that she wouldn't love you in her heart?"</p><p>The lord avoided his glance. He couldn't expect an answer.</p><p>Po took a deep breath. "Shen, I'm speaking to you as the Dragon Warrior. Wouldn't it be a good step to listen to her what happened after that day? Just listen and then you can still decide what you want to believe."</p><p>The lord thought silently.</p><p>Suddenly he turned around and stared darkly at the wall. "I swore never to hear about her anymore. Never to think about her anymore. Never to waste a thought to her anymore. NO!"</p><p>Po winced.</p><p>"Take her away! I never want to see her again!"</p><p>Po tapped his fingers. "Uhm…"</p><p>He shut his mouth immediately when Shen lifted his wing warningly. And the Kung Fu warrior knew, he had reached the point where Shen never wanted to listen.</p><p>With sad face, the panda sighed. "Alright. I will tell her."</p><hr/><p>Xia walked back and forth in the colorful corridor. She stopped when Po came over to her.</p><p>"What did he say?" She asked.</p><p>He sighed deeply and tried a smile. "Well, I think it will be the best to write him a letter."</p><p>She stared at him with shock. "No, he must listen. He has to listen to me!"</p><p>"But…"</p><p>But the peahen didn't listen to him.</p><p>She ran past and down the corridor to the private rooms.</p><p>"No!"</p><p>Po ran behind her. That would be a mistake.</p><p>Shen was still standing in his room and stared at the wall. He lifted his head when he heard quick footsteps.</p><p>"Please, listen to me!"</p><p>Shen let out a rage filled scream. "Guards!"</p><p>At this moment Po entered the room too, including two gigantic rams.</p><p>"Oh, hi buddy," Po greeted.</p><p>"Throw her out!"</p><p>Po became scared of the behavior. But the lord was too full of rage, he didn't dare to interfere.</p><p>The guards didn't waste time and grabbed the girl.</p><p>"No!" she cried. "Please, you can't do this!"</p><p>But Shen ignored her and walked away.</p><p>The big ram pulled her away.</p><p>"No! Please! If you don't want to help me, please, come with me and see your son before he dies!"</p><p>Shen stopped. Po only got bigger eyes. "What?"</p><p>Now the peacock turned around. The rams had stopped as their lord looked at them.</p><p>"I have a son?"</p><p>Xia nodded hastily. "Yes, he is badly injured after the fight with the Huns. Maybe he will die soon."</p><p>Po understood nothing anymore. "Huns? Son? Fight?"</p><p>At this moment, a clacking sound of steps and a cane let him freeze. Slowly he looked to the left where a familiar face searched for his eyes.</p><p>The lord stared at her. Next to her stood her grandnephew Liang.</p><p>"Shen." The goat gave him pleadingly look. "Please, moderate your rage and listen first before you make a judgment."</p><p>The soothsayer nodded at the panda. Po lifted his hand. "Hi. Yes, that's what I said the whole time, too."</p><p>All set their eyes on the white emperor, who fought with himself.</p><p>He snorted, but he gave in. "As you want." But he kept his sarcasms. "Alright. Tell your <em>story</em>."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The bad husband</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a tense atmosphere in the room. Everybody was afraid of Shen's annoyed temperament. But the lord had called back his calm and walked with slow, firm steps to a chair and sat down.</p><p>Po didn't dare to ask and sat down on the floor.</p><p>Soothsayer and her grandnephew Liang kept in the near of Shen, and nobody wanted to know why.</p><p>Xia looked at her father, but he only gave her a cold look.</p><p>"Could you start now?" he asked icily.</p><p>He was impatient and angry together. Xia didn't answer back and began with lowered face.</p><p>"I can only say what she told me," she said quietly. "It wasn't easy for her to confess what had happened."</p><p>It sounded like an apology, but Shen didn't answer.</p><p>She sighed.</p><p>"Many, many years ago, before my birth, my mother had been the princess of Jingang."</p><p>"Jingang?" Po looked at her with surprise. "That's one of the richest parts in whole China. She is really a princess?"</p><p>Xia looked at Shen, who had stood up.</p><p>"You must be kidding!" he growled. "She never told me!"</p><p>"Shen, please," the old goat said. "Calm down."</p><p>The white lord sat down again. The soothsayer nodded at her and Xia tried another start.</p><p>"Well, she was a princess, but I will explain it. Her parents were very severe with her. She had to be their beautiful daughter. Always being polite and quiet. That was her life. When she was old enough, she heard, that she had to marry a man, who she didn't love."</p><p>She stopped a brief moment.</p><p>"One day, she ran away. She wanted to flee far away. On her run, she became lost in a snow storm, until she met you."</p><p>Shen made a skeptically look, as he wanted to say, should I believe that?</p><p>Xia rubbed her hands together nervously. "Well, after you and mother met…"</p><p>"We don't need more details," Shen cut her word. "I know the rest. I don't need strange interpretations."</p><p>Xia sighed, but she kept her courage of speaking.</p><p>"Well, she said, after you and she made a walk outside, she saw the soldiers of her parent's palace in the distance. She was afraid they could find her with you together. She didn't want to bring you in trouble."</p><p>"That sounds like a bad joke. I can take care of myself very well."</p><p>"Maybe she couldn't stand it that they could kill you."</p><p>"And what happened after that?" Po asked quickly before Shen would say a next hard argument.</p><p>"Well, she saw no other chance than to show them up. The palace soldiers caught her and took her back home. In palace, she tried to find a way out, but their parents decided to dispose of her in marriage with a peacock from the other end of china immediately. His name was Xiang. A few days after her back home, she was transported to the town. She always said, she never wanted to marry him. But they forced her to enter into matrimony."</p><p>"A forced wedding?" Po was shocked. "That's awful."</p><p>"That's impossible!" Shen screamed.</p><p>Po raised his hands in disgust. "What's impossible again?"</p><p>"Don't call me a fool!" The lord walked ahead and looked daggers at Xia with his eyes. "How should she have borne you? An illegitimate child is always a disgrace and carries always the death penalty. I know the law of the royals. By the way, how should I know and who gives me a guarantee that you aren't the daughter of him?"</p><p>The girl started to tremble. Po took her aside and looked at Shen reproachfully.</p><p>"Let her finish, alright?"</p><p>Shen snorted. "Don't go too far."</p><p>The old goat cleaned her throat and both men kept silent for a moment.</p><p>"She was pregnant. Indeed," Xia admitted. "But she managed that she could lie to Xiang that we would be his own children. And we grew up as his own children."</p><p>"Nice!" Shen hurled his long robe over the floor. "In this case everything is okay for her."</p><p>It was a very, very sarcastic tone.</p><p>"A county, a palace, children by whomever, what more does she need?"</p><p>"But she never loved him," Xia said quickly.</p><p>"Don't tell me a lie!" Shen became angry again.</p><p>"That's true!" Xia ran over to him and touched his arm, but Shen pushed her away.</p><p>"He oppresses her every day."</p><p>Shen shrugged his shoulders with indifference.</p><p>"Her loss."</p><p>"But I'm sure she has still feelings for you."</p><p>"That doesn't explain that she told me a LIE!"</p><p>Po winced and stumbled backwards.</p><p>Shen was distracted by the panda's ineptitude and became calmer a little bit. His voice changed to a light whisper. "Everything was and is a lie."</p><p>With that, he turned around and crossed his arms.</p><p>Not a sound was to be heard, until Xia walked one step ahead.</p><p>"Believe it or not, she's unhappy with him. He always says, that he can do with her what he wants. She would be his own. I never saw her smile. She is always by his side to make him look better."</p><p>Shen didn't reply and stared through the window.</p><p>It seemed he didn't want to say something more.</p><p>Po swallowed heavily. "Uhm, uhm."</p><p>His eyes were focused on the lord, just to be sure, that it was allowed that he said a word. But Shen didn't forbid his try of communication and Po continued.</p><p>"Uhm, since when do you know, that Shen is, uhm, maybe, your possible father?"</p><p>"Since this year," Xia answered. "It was a few days after the big battle in Gongmen City. People talked about a warrior who defeated a white peacock who wanted to conquer China. I also heard about it. But after that my mother broke down. I remember she retired into the loneliest part of the palace and cried."</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>Many months ago…</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With worried eyes, Xia opened the door of the room. Her mother lay crying in the corner like she had seen it through all the years. But this time it was worse. Slowly and quietly she closed the door behind herself and walked over to her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Mother? What happened?"</em></p><p>
  <em>But the peahen didn't listen. Carefully the young girl laid a hand on her shoulder. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now there was a movement. With tears filled eyes the mother looked at her daughter. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Did father hit you again?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Her mother didn't reply and covered her face with her wings.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Xia sighed and sat down next to her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Why is he doing that?" she muttered. "Can't he love you like he loved you at your wedding day?"</em></p><p>"<em>Love?" For the first time, Yin-Yu spoke a word like venom. "He never loved me."</em></p><p>
  <em>Her daughter avoided her glance and put her fingers together. </em>
</p><p>"<em>But in your wedding night. There must have been a touch of love, haven't you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>A louder sobbing let her freeze. </em>
</p><p>"<em>This can't continue like it is," Xia said sadly.</em></p><p>
  <em>She winced. Her mother took her in her arms and hugged her very tight.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I wish I could stop it, but I never could. I really wished they had never found me."</em></p><p>
  <em>Carefully her daughter stroked her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What do you mean?"</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, my dear, it was all so…"</em></p><p>
  <em>Again she cried.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her daughter didn't know what to do.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Maybe it might have been different. But I had no other chance to protect you."</em></p><p>
  <em>Her daughter was confused. "I don't know what you say."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother laid her hands on her shoulder and looked at her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Maybe, you and your brother bear some resemblance to him."</em></p><p>"<em>Resemblance? With whom?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Yin-Yu wiped over her wet eyes. "He is gone. I can't live with that, that he could fade into obscurity completely. Not without that you hear about him."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Xia didn't know what to say. Her mother forced a smile, what happened very seldom.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Did you hear about the battle in Gongmen City?" </em></p><p>"<em>I heard about it. It was a peacock like us. But why does it concern you?"</em></p><p>"<em>His name was Shen. He should be the lord of Gongmen City."</em></p><p>
  <em>Xia became unsure. "Was he a relative of you?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Again a forced smile. She put her hands on her arms tenderly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Xia, my dear child, I have to tell you something, but I was scared that you hear it, because it could bring us in danger. Me, you and your brother. But it's time for you. I want to talk."</em></p><p>"<em>What are you talking about?"</em></p><p>"<em>Xia, my dear. Xiang… Xiang isn't your father."</em></p><p>
  <em>Xia stared at her mother. "What?" she whispered.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Shen, Shen was your real father."</em></p><hr/><p>"After that, everything broke out of her," Xia continued. "She told me everything. And I told it to my brother later."</p><p>"What did he say?" Po asked curiously.</p><p>"He was confused, he needed a while until he had realized it. But it was clear for all of us, that Xiang should never hear it."</p><p>"Understandable," Shen's whispering voice sounded through the room. He was still staring out of the window. "Very suspicious that she told her about me after my "death"."</p><p>Po nibbled his nails. "Uhm, apropos son, what about the Huns?"</p><p>Xia seemed to be glad that he asked after a different theme.</p><p>"Our town lies not far away from the frontier of China, in near of the land of the Huns. Xiang always challenged them. But this time it was a bad time. Huns ran over the frontier and raided or city. My mother helped me to escape. My brother fought longer, but he couldn't win. I managed to bring him out of the battle. Together we found shelter in a little village. The villagers take care of him, but… but they have no much hope for him anymore."</p><p>"The punishment follows swiftly," was Shen's single argument.</p><p>Xia tried to ignore it. "But then, I heard about that the white peacock is still alive and I had no other idea than to search for him."</p><p>At this moment, Shen turned around to her and looked at her with icy eyes.</p><p>"And why?"</p><p>"I searched for you that you could help me. The Huns captured them. I'm afraid they could do bad things with them. I need someone who can save my mother and… her husband."</p><p>What should she say about a father, which wasn't her father?</p><p>The peacock lifted his nose. "Why me?"</p><p>"I don't know who could help me instead."</p><p>A cold smile played his mouth. "Why should I do that, after she played a game with me?"</p><p>There was a hard trembling on Xia's face. "Why don't you ask her alone?"</p><p>"Good idea," Po admitted and covered his mouth immediately.</p><p>But the white lord just waved his hand with disinterest.</p><p>"I have enough to do other things. Maybe you should search for another one who could help you. What about him?"</p><p>Po made big eyes when the lord pointed at him.</p><p>"Me?"</p><p>"Isn't that your task as the Dragon Warrior?"</p><p>"Mm, yes, but, that's not a personal thing about me. It's about…"</p><p>"Silence, panda."</p><p>"Then do it for your son," Xia tried. "Just give him a last look, please."</p><p>Shen was going to shake his head.</p><p>"Just a little moment for the eternity."</p><p>Her eyes were big and pleadingly.</p><p>Shen narrowed his eyes. "I have to think about it."</p><p>With that, he left the room.</p><hr/><p>Deep in thoughts, he walked on the terrace of his new palace. It was still cold. He didn't know how long he has walked. Thousand questions crossed his mind and always the same mixed feeling, should he go or not.</p><p>He looked into a direction when he heard a clicking sound, which came around a corner. Carefully, he walked over to it and looked around the corner.</p><p>The goat sat on the wall and rubbed with her cane on the stone floor.</p><p>"It's cold, isn't it?"</p><p>Shen snorted. "Not cold enough."</p><p>"I felt the icy atmosphere."</p><p>"Spare me with your wisdom," Shen cut her word and wanted to continue his walk.</p><p>"Do you need a little company?"</p><p>She had stood up and looked at him.</p><p>"As you wish."</p><p>"Just if you allow."</p><p>"I allow it."</p><p>Together they walked along the wall. For a while nobody spoke a word, until Shen couldn't keep his question any longer.</p><p>"You know so many things. Say, is she and her brother, my real children?"</p><p>She stopped. He stopped too.</p><p>She looked ahead, he looked at her from the side.</p><p>"I see pain."</p><p>"What about… Ouch! Not this again! Let my feathers!"</p><p>"Anger from past days."</p><p>Thoughtfully she eyed Shen's feather. Shen made big eyes.</p><p>"Are you going to say something about my future?"</p><p>But the goat didn't reply and put the feather, which she had pulled out before, on the floor.</p><p>"A new trick?"</p><p>But instead the old woman held out the feather what Xia had shown.</p><p>The peacock narrowed his eyes. "What do you want to say?"</p><p>"I know, you still don't believe that she is your daughter, right?"</p><p>"You don't know why."</p><p>"I know the reason. And you believe it more than her."</p><p>The lord swung his robe and turned around with disappointment.</p><p>"I burned it. You can't know it."</p><p>"You said, I would know about many things. And this is one of many things what I know."</p><p>"And what do you want to say with that?"</p><p>She placed the two feathers side by side.</p><p>"If she doesn't love you, why did she wear this all the time?"</p><p>"To make a fool of me."</p><p>The goat shook her head sadly. "Your view is covered with many dark clouds of anger."</p><p>"My mind was never clearer enough than today," Shen growled. "At least give me a clear answer. Are they my children or not?"</p><p>"Shen," she began gently. "You have to find it out alone. Find it out with an open heart."</p><hr/><p>With worried face Xia walked on a terrace on the other side of the house up and down. Po watched her from the distance. But at the moment when he was going to say something to her, Shen appeared.</p><p>The peacock gave him a warning look and Po disappeared around a corner.</p><p>After that the lord went to her. Xia looked at him unsurely, until Shen interrupted the silence around them.</p><p>"Alright. I will come with you."</p><p>In Xia's eyes glowed a shimmer of hope, but before she could say a word, Shen stopped her.</p><p>"BUT… just to make some things clear."</p><p>He pointed his finger on her beak dangerously. "And I don't care about that you are my real daughter or not, I will never accept you as a part of me, get it?"</p><p>She nodded intimidated and Shen was satisfied. "Fine… and you!"</p><p>He looked back. "You eavesdropped long enough."</p><p>Shily Po peeked around the corner and left his hiding place. "Uhm, my feet didn't want to move too far away."</p><p>Shen rolled his eyes. "Nice."</p><p>He passed the panda, but before he reached the house, Po muttered a sound. "Uhm?"</p><p>Shen turned around. "What?" he asked annoyed.</p><p>"Uhm, can… can…" Nervously Po tapped his fingertips together. "Can I come with you?"</p><p>Before Shen could open his mouth, Po was faster. "Please! Please, please!"</p><p>His eyes grew wider and his pupils became bigger.</p><p>Shen wasn't impressed of that sight, but that panda would follow him regardless he says, yes or no.</p><p>A deep sigh let the panda tense.</p><p>"Alright."</p><p>Po rejoiced innerly. "Yeeah!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Through the snow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Alright, Liang. I trust you that you supervise all as long as I'm away."</p><p>"Yes, grand aunt."</p><p>Soothsayer and her grandnephew were on their way outside over the stairs to the big yard. Liang followed his grand aunt a little annoyed while she continued.</p><p>"Make sure that the Mengs don't paint the house with a wrong color."</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Always count the guards."</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Change your clothes every week."</p><p>The little sheep rolled his eyes. "Yes."</p><p>"And one thing more…"</p><p>"Yes, yes, yes. YES!"</p><p>"Don't forget to water my flowers."</p><p>He sighed. "Yee-es."</p><p>"You come with us?"</p><p>They had reached the end of the long stairs where Po and Xia waited.</p><p>The panda eyed the soothsayer with surprise. "Why?"</p><p>She smiled. "Someone had to keep an eye on both of you."</p><p>"Aha, okay."</p><p>Po looked in the yard. They weren't alone.</p><p>"That's all what we take with us?"</p><p>In front of them stood a carriage with another little sheep on the coachman's seat and a big goat at the other end to pull it. And next to them stood a very bigger ram and stared at the little group with grimly look. Po waved his hand at the ram. "Hi, stomach for a little adventure journey?"</p><p>The ram snorted with hard breath.</p><p>Po forced a smile. "I see you explode of excitement."</p><p>He waved his hand quickly and turned back at the old goat.</p><p>"Uhm, just a little question about this around."</p><p>"Ask what you want, Dragon Warrior."</p><p>"Yes, this, is this land from your family? And when we came here, the name Changkong. Is that the name of the city or from the area?"</p><p>"To your first question," she said. "It was a part of my family land. It was a place with some little huts. And they didn't want to keep this life. Shen gave them the choice to live in a city if they built it for him. And they did. Together with my relatives who lived around. And to your second question, Changkong was the name of the little village and the plateau where we are standing now. But I'm sure Shen wants to give it another name."</p><p>"What a name?"</p><p>She smiled. "He is still thinking about it."</p><p>"Oh." Po rubbed his forehead. "What about "Shen City"?"</p><p>"Too unimaginative."</p><p>The panda winced. The peacock was walking down the stairs. He wore a thick silver robe of sheep's wool. "The name should have a symbolic meaning."</p><p>Po nodded. "Okay. But I thought, first the name and then building a city."</p><p>The peacock had reached the end of the stairs and looked at him with his head raised.</p><p>"I'm not like the others."</p><p>Po swallowed. "I see."</p><p>A cutting glance and Po changed the theme.</p><p>"Uhm, very nice coach."</p><p>Po let wander his eyes. Then he pointed at the sheep which had climbed down from the coach.</p><p>Po smiled. "From wolf to sheep. A very peaceful change."</p><p>Shen gave him a venomous look and Po kept silent again.</p><p>The sheep opened the door and the lord put his first feet inside.</p><p>"How should we fit into this?" Po asked.</p><p>After so long, the lord gave him a smile. "You will take pot luck with Wulong."</p><p>"Who is Wulong?"</p><p>The panda's question was answered with a loud snorting behind him. Slowly Po turned around and waved at the ram hesitantly. "Hi buddy. Should we climb on his back?"</p><p>"Don't worry, Dragon Warrior," the old goat calmed him. "He will pull a rickshaw for you."</p><p>Indeed, the big ram had a rickshaw in his hands.</p><p>Po tipped his fingertips together. "Very nice. But he is very taciturn."</p><p>"She can give you company," Shen said mockingly and pointed at Xia.</p><p>Now it was Po who pointed between himself and her. "We should sit together?"</p><p>"If you want to travel by foot."</p><p>"No, no. I just thought, she would… with you…"</p><p>"Either this way, or not!"</p><p>Po raised his hands. "Alright. Let's take a seat."</p><p>He pushed Xia ahead to the rickshaw.</p><p>The lord snorted. "You come with me."</p><p>The old goat looked at him. "As you wish."</p><p>"And something more." With that Shen bent forward to her and whispered. "Tell your brother-in-law he should keep an eye on them."</p><p>He waved his eyes to Wulong.</p><p>The goat smiled. "I'm sure he will do it."</p><p>After all travels had taken their places, the carts began to move.</p><p>Liang accompanied them to the main gate.</p><p>"Don't worry. I will take good care for all."</p><hr/><p>When they had passed the first hill, Po loosened his eyes from the city and looked at his travelling companion.</p><p>"What I forgot to ask, hm, say, are you in this case a princess?"</p><p>"Ehm, yes, I am."</p><p>"Wow, I never sat next to a princess. That's an honor for me."</p><p>She smiled.</p><p>"But for a princess you are okay."</p><p>"How do you mean it?"</p><p>"Well, I thought, princesses would be very… uhm… well, you behave normal, not pompous. And that was a compliment."</p><p>She covered her beak with her wing and laughed. "I'm glad to hear that."</p><p>Finally, both laughed.</p><hr/><p>The wheels rolled through the snow on the streets. The soothsayer had closed her eyes and listened to the two persons in the rickshaw until a soft growling occasioned her to open her eyes and looked at a very annoyed lord. Shen looked outside, his head leaned on his hand and elbow on the carriage window. His eyes were dark.</p><p>The snow reminded him of bygone days…</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Over 10 years ago…</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A door of the unfinished building opened with a creaking sound. The lord's claws scratched on the fresh wood floor. He was in the rearmost corner of his factory. It was more a big storeroom. The wolf, who had guided him closed the door behind him. There was no much light in the room. But enough for the peacock to overview the room. There were some boxes and no much material. But he didn't come to look for building material. His will brought him to a special corner where a little figure sat with wrapped body. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Did you have a nice night?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He grinned maliciously. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With little trembling the peahen lifted her head. "It's cold."</em>
</p><p>"<em>What have you expected? A luxury suite?" </em></p><p>
  <em>He laughed.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Sorry for you, but I couldn't risk letting you run free."</em></p><p>
  <em>She lowered her face.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Anything more wishes, little spy?"</em></p><p>"<em>Could you give me something to eat?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The white prince stopped her with a wave of his hand. "My soldiers have not much for themselves either. Arrest stayers get nothing."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Just a little crumb would be enough for me."</em></p><p>"<em>Neither a crumb of gun powder."</em></p><p>
  <em>He turned around with lifted nose, but then he stopped.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Unless…"</em></p><p>
  <em>She looked at him with anxious surprise. Slowly he turned back and looked down at her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Unless, you would keep company with me."</em></p><p>
  <em>Her eyes were big. He smiled evilly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What is it now?"</em></p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Moments later…</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His feather fingertips stroked over the edge of the empty bowl on the table. He peered at her. She sat very close to him. Her hands on the table surface and didn't seem to know whether she should see in his face or not. Instead, she stared at her hands with unsurely posture. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A smile played on his lips. She was like an anxious child. All the ladies in his life had given him a derogative look. She was the first one who gave him the feeling of superiority. He liked her behavior. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Let's see what we have," he muttered and took a spoon. </em></p><p>
  <em>She didn't reply. Slowly, her eyes watched what his hand did. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He funneled some soup with little dumplings into the bowl and pushed it over to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked at the bowl, then at him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly she took it. "Thanks."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He gave her a condescending nod.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't feel honored. Usually intruders receive no special treatment."</em></p><p>
  <em>She watched him, finally she nodded gently, but kept her unsureness.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Do you eat nothing?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He put the elbow on the table surface and put his chin on his hand what made her more unsurely. </em>
</p><p>"<em>I've seldom company during dinner."</em></p><p>
  <em>He liked her appearance. And he enjoyed her. Ladies always avoided to come in his near and steered clear of him. She should stay in this position.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She coughed a little. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Eat. It's not poisoned."</em></p><p>
  <em>As if he had threatened her with death, she took a spoon and took the first one in her mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She tried to concentrate on the meal. He watched her. He wanted to watch her. Her silver white stains on her brown neck intrigue him and shimmered in the light of the lamps. All the other women had colors like green, blue, purpura and blue. But no one with a white feather inside. White was like a part of him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Without knowing what he did, he reached out his hand and touched her neck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She winced. With shocked eyes, she avoided his touch. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord took back his hand. The spell was over. His relaxation gone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With angry look he stood up, his hard eyes directed at her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>My color is deceiving. There is no weakness in me."</em></p><p>"<em>No, that's not because…" She swallowed like she was afraid to lose her life. "I just… I don't like that."</em></p><p>"<em>What? My presence?"</em></p><p>"<em>No, I don't feel good if a man comes so close to me."</em></p><p>"<em>It's a right for me."</em></p><p>"<em>Please no."</em></p><p>
  <em>She covered her face like he had said something dirty. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He growled. "Always the same excuses!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a hard push he pushed her away. She fell to the side and landed on the floor. He walked to her and bent down at her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Should I color me? Would I be good for you with that?"</em></p><p>"<em>I have nothing against your color."</em></p><p>
  <em>He grabbed her arms hard and stared with rage into her eyes. "Is lying your hobby?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>I don't lie. I only don't want to being touched."</em></p><p>"<em>Just because of my appearance?"</em></p><p>"<em>No, I like your color."</em></p><p>
  <em>She felt his hands around her neck and wrapped them around.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He breathed harshly. It sounded like a warning hiss. "Nobody likes my color. All hate it. Why should you like my color?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She winced when he added his pressure around her neck.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why!?"</em></p><p>"<em>Because of snow."</em></p><p>
  <em>He loosened his grip to let her breathing.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Snow?"</em></p><p>"<em>I like the snow. It gives me a feeling of contemplation and purity. Since I'm a little child I was happy when the snow was coming."</em></p><p>
  <em>He was still staring at her. Tears were in her eyes. "But if you kill me, let me find my peace in the snow like here."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Only their breaths were hearable in the room with a soft sobbing. After a while the hands around her neck left her completely. Slowly he wiped with his feather finger over her wet eyes. Gradually he realized he lay almost on her. Her body had cramped. Slowly he left her and kept some distance. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bit by bit he found back his self-control. His eyes still stuck on her. The peahen had lifted, her sobbing became weaker. Both birds looked at each other. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>After a while Shen broke the eye contact and lowered his face. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Tell me when you think I'm pushy."</em></p><p>
  <em>He turned around, but looked at her back shortly afterwards. "Would you like to stay in my quarter until my other quarter is ready?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked at him. </em>
</p><p>"<em>I will not touch you."</em></p><p>
  <em>A strange atmosphere lay in the room between them. Then she nodded. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A lie.</em>
</p><hr/><p>The soothsayer watched how Shen's eyes narrowed more.</p><p>"A lie," she heard him say to himself.</p><p>"The future will show lights in the darkness."</p><p>His eyes glared at her.</p><p>"Where lights are, there is always darkness what never disappears."</p><p>She stared at him. Then he looked out through the window again, where he watched the white snow on the mountains.</p><p>
  <em>You liked the snow.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Muzzled</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>So cold and silent the atmosphere was in the coach and Shen's emotions like the winter around, all the more cheerful was the ambiance in the rickshaw. Po told Xia one adventure with him and the furious five after another. Time flew. The landscape became flatter, finally they travelled through valleys until a junction.</p><p>Shen ordered a break and to decide what way they should go next.</p><p>While the sheep and rams cleaned the wheels from ice, Shen opened out a map on a flat snowless stone.</p><p>Xia and Po consorted to him and studied the plan.</p><p>"Until the border of China in Nord-West, we will need more than three days," Xia said after she knew where they were at the moment. "At least we aren't so far away like at the beginning of my journey."</p><p>She wandered with her wing feather over a special line on the map.</p><p>"We should follow this w…"</p><p>Shen stopped her movements on the paper and pushed her fingers away.</p><p>"We take this way," the lord said emphatically and stroke over a blue line.</p><p>"The Xiyi River?"</p><p>"With that we will save a lot of time and spares us a tour through the high mountains."</p><p>"But the Xiyi River isn't safe," Xia objected.</p><p>Shen's finger cramped on the card and the girl ducked her head a little with anxiety.</p><p>The lord had the angry look what made everyone afraid.</p><p>"A river trip in winter time?" Po asked. "Isn't it frozen?"</p><p>Shen lifted his nose.</p><p>"According to that you can see, you have no knowledge about many things. The Xiyi River froze seldom. His water is warmer than usual and wide enough. We will need just one until two days. Did you win one experience more, <em>panda</em>?"</p><p>If the situation hadn't been serious, Po would have chuckled, but he didn't. Just for his own safety, because Shen was still annoyed.</p><p>"Don't forget," the peacock continued with offended voice. "I'm the leader. That we are traveling through that cold life-hostile solitude is only because of my permission. I advise you to observe or you have to bear the consequences!"</p><p>Shen's voice became louder, what caught Po unawares. Something drove Shen mad.</p><p>"And if I say we go this way, then we will go this way. Did I make myself clear?!"</p><p>Silent nods of his opponents and he became calmer. Much to Soothsayer relief.</p><hr/><p>"We will not reach the river before night," Shen said. "We will set up our night camp here."</p><p>The sun was almost gone. The sheep and the rams took out the tents.</p><p>"I have to stretch my legs," Po muttered and made one step after another into the snow. "Who'd have thought that long sitting can be so demanding. Barring potholes."</p><p>He rubbed his bottom.</p><p>"Same to me," Xia said. "A little walk?"</p><p>"A walk with a princess? I'd be glad to."</p><p>Shen watched how they disappeared, but he didn't pay more attention to them.</p><hr/><p>Together they walked along the trees of the valley. In the last sunbeams the ice glinted like diamonds. Xia eyed the nature spectacle with fascination.</p><p>"It's beautiful, isn't it?"</p><p>"Oh, yes," Po admitted. "It is."</p><p>"My mother always likes the winter time. She said it would bring back memories."</p><p>"What memories?"</p><p>"She never told me."</p><p>Silently they watched the snowed landscape, which was light red in the sun.</p><p>Absent-mindedly Po reached into the snow and formed a snowball. Then he threw it against a tree bole.</p><p>Xia smiled.</p><p>"My brother had caught it."</p><p>"Oh, he likes to play snowball war?"</p><p>"No, but he has quick reflexes."</p><p>Her face became sad. "Or maybe he had."</p><p>Po didn't like to see her sad. "So, he is a soldier?"</p><p>"Similar." She wiped away a tear in her eye. "He got one of the best fight school."</p><p>"And you? What fight technique do you have?"</p><p>She looked at him with surprise and shyness. "Nothing."</p><p>"Nothing? Why?"</p><p>"I'm a girl."</p><p>"What should that be for a reason?"</p><p>She sighed. "Xiang always said, women aren't allowed to fight. They only have to be beautiful for their men. That's all what you have to live."</p><p>She turned around and walked few steps away. Her face angry and ashamed.</p><p>Slowly Po came closer. "So, you never tried to kick anyone?"</p><p>She looked at him and shook her head.</p><p>"Not me, but my brother."</p><p>"Because he is a man."</p><p>She narrowed her eyes. "Correct. He got a good school to fight like a solider. I spent the most time with my mother instead."</p><p>Po looked at her and rubbed his head. "Uhm, if you want… I don't know. Should I show you some fight tricks?"</p><p>"To me?"</p><p>"Of course. To be a woman is not a reason not to learn something like Kung Fu." He swung his hands. "First you have to have a strong self-confidence. You have to have the courage to kick or to hit someone."</p><p>"Kicking? Hitting?" The girl was more than unsure. "Xiang would never allow me. He would give me a slap for this."</p><p>"Oh fiddlesticks. He isn't here. He can't see us. Come on. I will show you. Try to hit me."</p><p>"Hitting you?"</p><p>"Of course. Don't worry. I will avoid your blow."</p><p>The peahen didn't know what to say and eyes the panda, whether he was making a joke.</p><p>But Po's position bespoke he didn't make jokes.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Slowly she moved and raised her wing, but then she stopped. "I can't. I even never dared to contradict someone. Especially not my dad. Well, if he would be my dad. Ahm. Even if my mother says something what he doesn't want to hear, he always gives her a slap in her face."</p><p>Po lowered his arms. He couldn't imagine that a father could be so brutally to his own family. But could Shen be better? At least he never hit her.</p><p>"Say," he asked carefully. "Could you imagine, Shen as your father forever instead of Xiang?"</p><p>She rubbed her wing nervously. "Well, before, I never knew him, but now… I don't know. In addition, I'm afraid that he could hurt my mother… Something bad happened what I can't understand. My mother always said, she loved him."</p><p>"Does she know, that he survived?"</p><p>She lowered her face. "Not yet."</p><p>Po opened his mouth with surprise.</p><p>"I heard of his survival after I brought my brother into a lonely village," she continued. "And I don't know what will happen if she knows it."</p><p>"But that happened many months ago," Po said. "How didn't she hear about it?"</p><p>Again a deep sigh. "Xiang isolated her from the environment."</p><p>Po didn't understand. "Why?"</p><p>"After she had heard about Shen's "death", she wasn't like before. Her words came almost automatically, it was like she had lost her sense of life. After a while it became too much for Xiang, and he imprisoned her in her room until she would be normal again. This had taken her more her life energy."</p><p>She took a deep breath and gave him a wistful glance. "Maybe if I and my brother hadn't lived, maybe she would have died already."</p><p>For a few seconds, nobody said a word, until Po got the courage to break the silence. "In this case, we have to bring both together. Maybe everything will come alright again."</p><p>"I don't know. What if everything becomes worse?"</p><p>"If we never try, we will never know it. I'm thinking some things have to come different. For you and your mother."</p><p>"But what if Xiang…"</p><p>"Forget him for a moment, alright? He has no right to decide about your life in this way. You have the freedom to guide yourself. And the first step will be to give me a kick. Now get stuck in!"</p><p>He took a position and was ready.</p><p>But Xia was still unsure. "You are a good guy. Sorry, I can't."</p><p>Po thought.</p><p>"Oh, just a moment!" He raised his finger with an aha gesture. "I have an idea."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Every memory has its origin in the snow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Alright. This, that's it."</p><p>Satisfied with himself Po eyed his work.</p><p>"These are your enemies now."</p><p>Xia stared at him. "And I should what? You done so much work with it. I can't destroy them."</p><p>"Oh, no problem. They will melt soon or later anyway."</p><p>Xia counted. Five snowmen stood on the field now. Some of them looked like crocodiles or wolves.</p><p>She walked to the nearest one and eyed it.</p><p>"Now, hit him," Po said and swung his arm.</p><p>"How? With my wing?"</p><p>"Wing or leg. That's unimportant at the moment. Just imagine that's a bad guy, who wants to steal your money."</p><p>"And I should hit him? Uhm, I never did it before. That's… isn't that a little rude?"</p><p>"It's not rude if you want to fight for your property or for your life."</p><p>"My life?"</p><p>"Of course. There are many bad guys who have the ability to kill you for some reason."</p><p>She swallowed. Po gave her a gentle sidekick.</p><p>"Come on. Show him what you can, that you don't allow it. Give him a hard stroke."</p><p>"Alright."</p><p>Carefully, she came closer to the first snowmen and nudged it.</p><p>"Come on. Try it," called out to her.</p><p>"Do I really have to use my wings? Or can I use something else?"</p><p>"Well, you can also use a wood block. I will show you."</p><hr/><p>"Take care that it's wind-resistant," Shen said loudly to his servants who were busy to build up the tents. "It looks like new snow will come in the night."</p><p>He looked into the sky and watched the clouds.</p><p>A sudden "Woahhai!" let him wince until he realized Po's voice.</p><p>"That panda," he muttered angrily. "What on white earth, is he doing again?"</p><p>Annoyed the lord walked through the trees where he had heard the cries.</p><p>"He is like a stupid child," the warlord thought.</p><p>Slowly he peeked around a group of trees.</p><p>First, he was confused about the strange figures on the snowed field, until he realized they were made of snow. They threw long shadows in the red light of the evening sun.</p><p>In the next second, a black and white figure ripped through the snow mock-ups and swung a branch to all sides so that snow flew through the air.</p><p>Suddenly, Shen blinked.</p><p>
  <em>No!</em>
</p><p>He gasped for air and backed away. He had effort with breathing.</p><p>With wide eyes he stared ahead.</p><p>
  <em>Like him. No. It's him.</em>
</p><p>He turned around quickly and ran away.</p><p>Meanwhile Po took the branch over his shoulder. "That's how you could make it."</p><p>"It looks so easy if you do so," she said with admiration. "But I don't know whether I could ever be as good as you."</p><p>"With a little training, you can do everything."</p><p>Xia forced a smile. "Yes, maybe. But not today. It's late."</p><p>Po looked up to the sky who was already dark. "Alright. Let's go back."</p><hr/><p>"Shen? Are you alright?"</p><p>The old goat eyed the lord who stood panting and leaning against the tent.</p><p>"I'm… I'm fine," he avoided her question.</p><p>He covered his face with one wing and rubbed his forehead. "It was just…"</p><p>The peacock shook his head. "Nothing."</p><p>"Your fear has a reason."</p><p>"I'm not afraid! And before you say more, don't talk to me! No word!"</p><p>With worried eyes, she looked after the white prince who disappeared into his tent.</p><hr/><p>The night came and the wind became stronger, but it was warm in the tents. Shen owned a tent for himself, while the rest camped in a bigger tent together. After a meal they went to sleep. It became quiet, just the strong wind blew around the cloth covers. But all in all, everything around was empty and lonely. But despite all, Shen couldn't find his sleep. No matter what he did, every time he had these pictures in his head and didn't want to leave him. They tortured him, followed him. He shook his head.</p><p>It had been a cold, windy night like today. Snow lay all around. Dark shadows and red fire.</p><p>
  <em>Cries of wolves. Screams of dying pandas.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>In a field, there stood a white peacock with wolves.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The warlord looked ahead. A little panda was sitting in front of a hut.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Kill them all!"</em></p><p>
  <em>His wolves obeyed. They jumped forward with wide open dangerous mouths. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But suddenly another big figure appeared and swung something through the air. It hit the wolves and threw them through the air next to the lord.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peacock flinched. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Who was it?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Run away with our son!" the big panda cried.</em></p><p>
  <em>Nobody should escape!</em>
</p><p>"<em>Kill them! After them!"</em></p><p>
  <em>More wolves appeared. Running through the forest.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You will never get them!"</em></p><p>
  <em>The big panda ran at him. No, he couldn't win.</em>
</p><p>The fight had been short, but hard.</p><p>He could still taste snowflakes and ashes in his mouth and nose.</p><p>Cold snow under his feet, the heat of burning houses around.</p><p>The big panda had fought like crazy.</p><p>Shen opened his cramped eyes.</p><p>Could this happen again?</p><p>Could this panda really forgive him?</p><p>Suddenly Shen thought to hear footsteps in the snow. He lifted his head. Someone was walking around the tent. Then it was gone. After a while he lay down again.</p><p>Must be the wind. Everything made him so nervous. Why had he allowed that the panda came with him?</p><p>A movement at the tent entrance.</p><p>"Who's there?" Shen cried.</p><p>It couldn't be the wind. He had closed the curtains.</p><p>A feeling of no-being-alone confronted the lord. Someone was in the room. He wasn't alone anymore.</p><p>A shadow in a corner.</p><p>Quickly he looked back.</p><p>Red light lighted the room.</p><p>
  <em>No! This can't be!</em>
</p><p>The big panda.</p><p>"You will never get them!"</p><p>The lord was like paralyzed.</p><p>That's impossible. He was dead.</p><p>Suddenly the face changed.</p><p>Was it…?</p><p>The Dragon Warrior.</p><p>Po gave the warlord a scowl.</p><p>"Wooahai!"</p><p>He threw the branch at him.</p><p>"AHHHH!"</p><p>With frenzied heart the lord opened wide his eyes. He needed more than two seconds to understand that the tent was empty. He blinked. He almost stood in the bed. His panting was the only sound what was in the room. His heart was thumping like mad. It had looked so real. He had seen the panda coming in. After a while the waves of his dream calmed down. Reality wrapped him like a mother of safety. Finally, he took a deep breath and relief covered him. Slowly he rubbed with his wings over his head. A sigh let him wince immediately.</p><p>"Ah!"</p><p>Shen held his chest, shocked and happy that it wasn't the panda who had sneaked up to him in his nearness.</p><p>"Shen, it's okay, it was just a dream."</p><p>"I know," the peacock muttered darkly. He hated her pity.</p><p>"Don't worry, the panda is still sleeping."</p><p>"How do you know what I dreamed about?"</p><p>"You talked in your sleep loud enough."</p><p>Still panting, he stared at her. Her eyes were gentle. Then, without a word, the peacock left the bed and went out.</p><p>Cold, icy air met him. The wind was still blowing, but it was almost in the morning.</p><p>He walked through high snow few meters, then he stopped. The cold wind gave him a clear head again. He closed his eyes and let influence his mind with silence around.</p><p>The snow brought back memories. Memories from far away and long time ago.</p><p>He smiled bitterly. So many things had happened in the snow. The battle at the panda village. And in high mountains…</p><p>His glance wandered ahead. The first sunbeams of the next morning lighted the sky and gave the landscape a light red. A next day was born. A new day in the snow.</p><p>
  <em>It's beautiful.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You liked the snow. </em>
</p><p>No, it hadn't been the morning sun, it had been in the nightfall…</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Over 10 years ago…</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She stood there. She stood there like a stature. She did nothing. Just standing and looked into the distance of the mountains.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord was inside the cave and watched her. She didn't move. She stood in the cave frame and eyed the sunset.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly he came closer. "Anything wrong? What's there?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peahen winced and ducked her head. Shen came up to her. Their eyes met. She was still afraid of him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>So, what are you doing here?" he restarted his question.</em></p><p>"<em>I thought… fresh air would be good. And…"</em></p><p>
  <em>She looked at the dying sun. "I like to watch the sunset."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord gave it a short glance. "Like every day before night."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Every sunset is something special. It's beautiful." She sighed quietly. "I wish I could see it."</em></p><p>
  <em>He looked at her with surprise. "Mm?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She caught her breath, but in the same second she lowered her head. "Nothing."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her voice was hoarse, but also soft and gentle. The prince didn't know why, but he liked to listen to her voice. But his face stayed callously. She was still looking at the sun. Finally, he overcame himself and looked at it too. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Silence surrounded them. The storm was gone, but the lord knew the next one was coming. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Clouds are coming."</em></p><p>
  <em>She turned back her eyes to him. "What?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't you see it?" He waved his head to the right site. "The clouds bring new snow. Tomorrow we will not see the sun."</em></p><p>
  <em>She watched him silently. "You seem to know the weather very well, don't you?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>I'm living here for a long time."</em></p><p>"<em>Why here? So alone?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He gave her an angry glance. "Unimportant."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She avoided his look. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She is still like an anxious girl, he thought. But why should it care him?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a while nobody said a word. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nothing seemed to be, but Shen felt something different. He didn't know why, but he felt a tension in his arms and shoulders. What on earth, he had never felt anything like that. The lord peered at her. Was she nervous?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What should he say? Why should he say something? It wasn't his obligation to say something. But he had the feeling to say something.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He shook his head about himself. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>What are you doing?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He cleaned his throat, but he couldn't speak. Why not?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly she coughed badly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now his eyes were directed at her completely. She rubbed her neck.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Everything okay?" he asked unsurely.</em></p><p>
  <em>Why did you ask? Again Shen shook his head about himself.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Just a scratchiness in the throat," she said with panting. "That goes over."</em></p><p>
  <em>They looked at each other until the white peacock broke the eye contact. </em>
</p><p>"<em>It's time to sleep."</em></p><p>
  <em>He turned around, but he felt that she didn't follow him. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't worry. You don't have to sleep in my bed."</em></p><p>
  <em>She couldn't see but his face was covered with regret for a short moment. He stopped and turned around to look at her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Again their eyes met and he couldn't stand it to look into her eyes any longer. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Come in. You will get a cold."</em></p><hr/><p>"You will get a cold. Shen? Shen?"</p><p>The peacock winced. "Mm? What?"</p><p>"It's cold, Shen," the voice of the old goat continued. "You could catch a chill. Come in."</p><p>The peacock narrowed his eyes.</p><p>
  <em>Get a cold. Just a lie.</em>
</p><p>Annoyed he turned around. "You aren't my mother."</p><p>"Where are you going?" she asked, while Shen was walking to the second bigger tent. But he didn't reply. He opened the tent curtains quickly and entered.</p><p>"Panda! Wake up!"</p><p>"Mm, what?" Po wasn't awake yet. "What is it? An attack?"</p><p>"We decamp now."</p><p>Tired the panda rubbed his eyes and lay himself on the other site. "It's very early in the morning. Just five minutes more."</p><p>The lord waved his finger at goat's brother-in-law of the soothsayer then to the panda. And no long time, the warrior in black and white flew through the air outside into the cold snow.</p><p>With paddling arms and legs, he sat up. "EY! What was that for?"</p><p>Shen didn't pay attention for his morning frustration and looked down at him with gleeful mien. "And I will keep an eye on you."</p><p>With that Shen passed him and let the irritated panda stay there.</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Everything and everyone is ready in 15 minutes."</p><p>Still confused the panda stood up. "Hey? And what about breakfast?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Cold water</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cold weather, cold feet, cold rice from yesterday.</p><p>It wasn't the ideal breakfast, but better than nothing, Po thought while their rickshaw pulled them through the snow. Fortunately, the cold journey didn't take long. After a while, Po tapped Xia on her shoulder. "Hey, look!"</p><p>In a valley they could see a long-bent water street.</p><hr/><p>"Could you please repeat that?"</p><p>A goose and a pig didn't know what to say when the lord was standing in front of them after they had given him an answer whether they could bring them with a ship up the river.</p><p>"As I said," the pig started again. "No one of us is shipping up the river, just downwards. Bandits are lurking in the upper parts. For this reason, we avoid this river way."</p><p>Both village people cried as a sharp sword stopped very close in front of their faces.</p><p>Po tried to ease the situation. "Shen, that's not necessary."</p><p>A hissing of the lord, and Po lost his courage.</p><p>"I take what I want and I take what I need." Shen's voice was more than angry. "Either we take this ship or we have to conquer it by force."</p><p>The harsh voice of the warlord let the mariners cringe. The pig raised his hand. "I'm for a peaceful variant."</p><hr/><p>The ship wasn't big enough to transport a coach. For this reason, they had to leave the coach and rickshaw. The sheep and the ram agreed to drive back to town, while the others continued their journey. The shipowner didn't prevent them to take the ship, albeit grudgingly.</p><p>Po got a bad feeling in his stomach when they put out to the river, because the village people only shook their heads and muttered a farewell sailing.</p><hr/><p>The river trip began slowly and without troubles. There was not much activity on board. The ram conned the ship, while the others sat and walked on the aloft.</p><p>Shen had placed himself on the roof of the ship cabin and overlooked all. Especially his eyes stuck on Po. When the panda felt his glance, Po waved his hand to him. But the lord just avoided his gesture and looked away.</p><p>"Did he stand up with the wrong foot or what?"</p><p>"Don't worry," the goat said. "He is just a little nervous."</p><p>"Oh, of course, meeting an old love must be exciting."</p><p>"She isn't my old love," the lord said next to him like he came from nothing. "We are just traveling to her to sort things out."</p><p>"Don't forget my brother, please," Xia said. "Maybe it will be the first and last time that you see him."</p><p>The lord snorted with a derogatory gesture. "Alright, but don't expect I will let him welcome in my life. I will treat him like every stranger."</p><p>She lowered her face, until something crossed Po's mind.</p><p>"Hey! Wait, you still didn't say the name of your brother!"</p><p>"Didn't I?"</p><p>The panda shook his head. "No, you didn't."</p><p>"Oh, sorry, after so many things, I forgot. Uhm."</p><p>Her glance glued on Shen's face. Did he want to know the name too?</p><p>"Well, his name is Sheng."</p><p>"Sheng?" Po looked with surprise. "Sounds similar like Shen."</p><p>A gentle smile played on Xia's beak. "Maybe my mother wanted to keep a memory."</p><p>She sent to her "father" a hopeful look. But Shen just turned around and walked away a few steps and stared down the river.</p><p>Po petted the sad peahen on her shoulder. "He needs just more time."</p><p>She nodded depressed. With lowered face, she leaned against the railing and watched the soft movements of the water.</p><p>Meanwhile Po took together his courage again and walked over to the silent lord. Before he could clean his throat for a first sentence, the lord cut panda's breath. "You should stop intervening in things what doesn't concern you."</p><p>"Maybe it's not my concern," Po replied. "But her behavior concerns something to me. Just do her a favor and don't treat her like a stupid girl."</p><p>"Her mother wasn't different."</p><p>Po gasped for air, but he controlled his anger. "Alright, we should talk about that later when we will meet her."</p><p>The lord said nothing. He just stared ahead.</p><p>Po sighed and turned around.</p><p>"Our peace agreement still holds, doesn't it?"</p><p>The panda looked at him with big surprise. "Of course, why do you ask?"</p><p>"Just to make sure."</p><p>Po didn't know what he should think about that insinuation.</p><p>"Oookay, if you think that I would forget my oath in my village, I have to disabuse you. I often quote the words of my master Shifu, who always use to say, holding his vows is an obligation for a Kung Fu Warrior."</p><p>But Shen didn't listen to him anymore. With tensed eyes, he watched the hilly riverside, where he had seen a quick movement of a shadow.</p><p>Soothsayer discerned his tension first. She knew him good enough. And he showed her, something wasn't right in the environment. Slowly he pulled out his feather knife more out of his wings. Meanwhile Po didn't realize anything and spoke on.</p><p>"And this is why you can trust my inner conviction…"</p><p>"TAKE COVER!"</p><p>Shen pushed him so hard away that the panda slithered few meters over the deck.</p><p>In next second two big figures landed with a loud crash on the wooden ship floor.</p><p>"What do you say, today is our lucky day."</p><p>A big goanna looking animal, covered in thick fur clothing and a second one raised their swords.</p><p>Po meanwhile had recovered from the wild greeting.</p><p>"In this case you must be the bandits, who paint the river red."</p><p>"You know much, in this case, give us what we want."</p><p>They laughed.</p><p>Po rubbed his hands. "Not without a fight."</p><p>The lizards hissed amused. "Nice invitation."</p><p>With loud cries they ran at them.</p><p>Po took the first one, Shen the second one.</p><p>First the bandits thought to have an easy battle, but the Kung Fu Panda and the warlord were hard enemies. And shortly after another danger appeared.</p><p>"Surprise from behind!" Po cried over to the rest of the group. Three more lizards climbed over the railing and rushed upon them.</p><p>Meanwhile the ram Wulong had taken his sister-in-law aside and fended off the attackers with his ram forces.</p><p>Xia scared when one of the big lizards stood in front of her at knife point.</p><p>"Hey," Po cried over to her. "Take something and hit him."</p><p>The young woman looked around and grabbed for the next best rod.</p><p>The goanna laughed. "What do you want with that toothpick?"</p><p>Xia took a deep breath, but before she could swing the cane, the bandit snatched it from her hands and pushed her with all forces. The peahen stumbled. With a splash, she fell backwards into the cold floods of the river. Fortunately, the current wasn't strong. Po waved at her. "Swim over."</p><p>But the girl just crawled without control.</p><p>"I can't swim!"</p><p>Po's eyes went over to Shen, who had dispelled the last lizard from the battlefield. But instead of doing something, he just looked at the struggling girl in the cold water.</p><p>"Do something!"</p><p>But Po's cries didn't reach the lord's head. Either he ignored it or he didn't listen.</p><p>The panda's eyes grew wider. Xia was going to sink.</p><p>With a big jump, Po landed in the river deeps and swam to her. His fingers searched in the coldness and felt wet feathers of a wing. He grasped and pulled it. As fast as he could, he swam back to the ship. Shortly after he had reached the ship body, some strong arms pulled out the soaking wet castaways. Carefully Wulong put them on the board.</p><p>In Po's head was just rushing, but accompanied by loud curses from far away. The Dragon Warrior rested upon his upper body and saw how the bandits sought refuge in flight. But then his view was directed at Shen, who still stood there calmly with crossed arms.</p><p>Po narrowed his eyes and stood up. "Why didn't you rescue her?"</p><p>Shen showed himself unimpressed. "Why on earth should I do that?"</p><p>"Are you water-shy or what?"</p><p>Now there was an angry wave over the lord's face. "Be careful what you say!"</p><p>"Stop it!" Soothsayer cried. "Both of you."</p><p>"What did you think?!" Po cried. "She could have drowned!"</p><p>The white bird just raised an eyebrow. "Not my problem."</p><p>Po cramped his fists, but a loud exhausted cough let him wince.</p><p>The peahen lay there with strong trembling body.</p><p>Gently Po took her in his arms.</p><p>"She will freeze to death. We have to make a campfire."</p><hr/><p>With glowering eyes, the lord watched how Po was lighting up a fire on the riverside. Of course, they couldn't make a fire on the ship, so that they had to make a stop on the dry land.</p><p>"Why didn't you rescue her?" it still echoed through the bird's mind. He narrowed his eyes more.</p><p>
  <em>My hate was stronger.</em>
</p><p>"It will be warm soon," Po said and blew into the small starting flames. Xia sat on a stone, covered with a thick blanket. The panda walked behind her and rubbed her back quickly.</p><p>She forced a smile at him.</p><p>"I'm such a coward."</p><p>"Hey," Po said and laughed. "For your first fight time, it wasn't so bad. But why you can't swim?"</p><p>She was silent.</p><p>"Xiang," was her only answer.</p><p>And Po understood. "We will add swim lesson for later."</p><p>Xia coughed.</p><p>Gently Po petted her back. "Take it easy. You don't have to learn all in one chunk."</p><p>At this moment Soothsayer came and handed a bowl to the girl.</p><p>"Drink this."</p><p>The lord's eyes became wide. The smell pushed him far away into the past.</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>Over 10 years ago…</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He couldn't sleep. He had never slept with another person in one room. At least not with a woman. But her presence was not the only reason why he couldn't fall asleep. From time to time a cough echoed through his head. No, it wasn't a dream. He opened his tired eyes. The room of the cave was almost dark. Just a bigger fire burned near the entrance of the cave to warm the cave and so that smoke could escape outside. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A new soft cough. His eyes wandered to a corner, where some blankets lay on the floor, while he spent the night in a more comfortable bed. When he couldn't stand it any longer, he put his blanket aside, left the bed and walked over to the still coughing peahen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After he had reached her, he stopped and looked down at her. Her eyes were closed, but she didn't sleep. She lay there with cramped body and held her neck. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord yawned quietly, then he came back to his dignified posture and cleaned his throat. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His annoyed sound let open her eyes widely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shortly after she sat up, looking ruefully at him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The prince smiled innerly. He enjoyed her servileness. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Could you do me a favor and don't disturb my sleep?" he asked tiredly and stressed.</em></p><p>
  <em>She lowered her head more. "I'm sorry, it's just something in my throat."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He sighed. Moments of silence surrounded them. Finally, the lord turned around.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She followed him with her eyes and watched how the peacock walked over to the fire. After he had reached it, he looked back at her and beckoned her over with gentle movements of his wing.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Come here."</em></p><p>
  <em>Her beak started to tremble. "Please!" she pleaded. "It wasn't my intention to wake you up."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Quickly she stood up and wanted to leave the cave. "I will sleep outside."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But before she could pass the peacock near the fire, she felt an iron grip around her right wing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fear rose inside her. "No, don't hurt me!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She pulled, but the hand around her wing didn't come loose.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Giving in, her force sank. A gasping sob escaped her lips.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Didn't I say, I wouldn't hurt you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>His voice induced her to look at his face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The eyes of the peacock were still cold, but not hard.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I keep my word," he continued calmly and seriously. "As long as you don't break yours."</em></p><p>
  <em>She stared at him. And he looked back. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Come closer."</em></p><p>
  <em>Gently he guided her to the fire and placed her in front of him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Open your mouth."</em></p><p>
  <em>She hesitated, but she obeyed, so that he could look inside. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Like he had thought. Her throat was red and sore.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She closed her mouth again and coughed hoarsely.</em>
</p><p>"<em>It hurts, doesn't it?" he asked with serious face.</em></p><p>
  <em>She nodded and rubbed her throat.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He watched her thoughtfully. Then he nodded his head to the cave. "Go back to bed."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She did and he stayed.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Minutes passed. The white peacock was still standing next to the fire and looked into the flames. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He heard her rolling in her improvised bed. She couldn't find sleep. And he could understand it very well. He had been ill very often in his childhood. What had they made if he had got a cold?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But who cares? Why should he take care for her? He still mistrusted her. What had she done in the lonely mountains?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A louder wheeze let him wince. </em>
</p><p><em>He turned to</em> <em> her and walked over.</em></p><p>
  <em>She heard him coming. Ashamed she sat up and covered her face. "Forgive me. I try to quash."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her tries were difficult. He could see her trembling shoulders.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Usually he would shout at her. Everyone didn't look at him a strong ruler inside him. But she was so subservient that he felt almost sorry for her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Finally, he shook his head. "Never mind. I will look for a place in my new quarter."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With that he left her.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The storm had become stronger. Cold, hard snowflakes flew into his face. In the darkness of the snowed night, he wondered about himself why he had left the cave instead of her. He banished that thoughts and wanted to take the chance to inspect the factory. </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>With pride, the lord stood on a wooden beam and overlooked the unfinished but almost finalized factory which will make true his dreams. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>One day, china will bow to me. One day.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The next morning started without a sun ray. Clouds covered the sky and sent a depressing atmosphere. But Shen wasn't in a bad mood. The night in his new residence had been a benefaction for him. The entrance of the cave had been blocked with high snow, but there were in every level part small doors to climb inside. He just pushed aside some planks and walked in.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The fire was almost gone. The lord didn't care and passed the fire place. But suddenly his feet ran into something on the floor.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The object winced and lifted its head. In the gloomy light, he realized the peahen, hidden in her blanket.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why are you lying here?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She trembled. "I- I fe-el cold."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He narrowed his eyes. Something wasn't right with her and she didn't look very good. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He reached out his wing and touched her forehead. She was really cold, maybe low temperature. He took back his hand and looked down at her with head held high. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Alright. I will make a fire again. But go back to bed and don't interrupt my work."</em></p><hr/><p>
  <em>His annoyance grew. For a half hour he sat over his papers, thinking about a new design of his weapon, but concentration became difficult. Every minute he had to hear a cough, one times louder and other times quieter.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a loud hissing grow, he slammed the pencil down.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There fell an awful silence, followed by a moving chair, metal clicking footsteps, which approached a scared person. Shen didn't know what to say and to do. He just stared down at her. His face filled with one question: What should he do with her?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tears filled her eyes. The young woman didn't know what to do. She only sat there with lifted arms and begged. "P-please, help me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Why on earth should I do that?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She opened her mouth, first without a word, then with a pleading sound. "I'm afraid."</em>
</p><p>"<em>You are afraid?" He chuckled darkly. "There is no reason."</em></p><p>
  <em>Turning around, he ignored her starting sobbing. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Why are y-ou so h-hard?" she wept. </em></p><p>
  <em>He stopped; his eyes burned. "The world ignored me," he whispered bitterly. "Nobody has the right to demand my attention instead."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He looked behind; his glance scared her. "But one day, nobody will ignore me anymore."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peacock kept his stern face, until he laughed spitefully.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You see, I have no reason to give you something back." </em></p><p>
  <em>In anticipation of more begging, she dropped her gaze completely. </em>
</p><p>"<em>M-maybe you're right."</em></p><p>
  <em>Her answer surprised him. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Maybe I'm not w-worth to stay a-live."</em></p><p>
  <em>She gasped for air. </em>
</p><p>"<em>E-everyone told me, I'm only li-ving to stand still and doing nothing more. I – I didn't believe, but maybe my parents were right. I'm unimportant, I ju-st have to o-obey."</em></p><p>
  <em>His gaze leaned on her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Your parents didn't seem to love you, did they?"</em></p><p>"<em>They – they are dead," she spat. "And I don't care. I never loved them – and they never loved me. I just thought - they lied and I'm something more. B-but you've got the luck to be a man. I'm just a woman, wi-ithout rights. You could feel blessed."</em></p><p>
  <em>She couldn't continue. A hard pertussis blocked her voice. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly he came closer and kneeled down next to her. But this time she couldn't say a word. Now her lungs ached and breathing became ha hurting process for her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shen didn't care and sighed. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Believe me, parents can be crueller than you think."</em></p><p>
  <em>She winced. A white wing covered her face and pushed her down on the pillow slowly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman didn't resist. She wanted to do nothing anymore. Meanwhile the young peacock stood up and went away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Abstracted and silent, he walked through the cave. Not until after 3 minutes he left the private domain.</em>
</p><hr/><p>"<em>I should do what?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The boss wolf and few other wolves stared at their master speechlessly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You heard right," their master replied. "I insist that you and the others bring me these herbs which I wrote down."</em></p><p>"<em>But the next village is far away…"</em></p><p>"<em>DO IT!" the peacock screamed. "Just DO IT! DO IT!"</em></p><p>
  <em>As fast as he could the wolf left the unfinished factory building. </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>She heard him coming back. But she didn't look up. Still laying on the side, she wrapped the blanket closer around her trembling body.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Steps walked through the cave room and back to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But instead of a voice, a rustling sounded and something heavy lay down on her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She lifted her head. Next to her stood the white lord and covered her with a second and a third blanket. Then he lifted a part of the blankets. </em>
</p><p>"<em>What… what are you doing?"</em></p><p>"<em>Don't be afraid," he said calmly. "I will warm you up."</em></p><p>
  <em>With that, he crawled under her blanket.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She couldn't believe what he was doing and flinched.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When Shen had taken his place next to her, he smiled. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't worry. But you have to keep warm. I will stay with you until my soldiers bring you medicinal plants."</em></p><p>
  <em>Still staring at him, he could see her fear. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Trust me. Nothing will happen. But you have to come closer."</em></p><p>"<em>I – I don't know."</em></p><p>
  <em>Carefully, he laid his hand on her shoulder. With soft pressure he pushed her on her back.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't worry." In the shine of the fire, he could see how her breath became faster. </em></p><p>"<em>Why don't you trust me?" he whispered.</em></p><p>"<em>Yo-ou are stronger than me."</em></p><p>
  <em>How cute it sounded in her voice. Her silver stains glimmered in the dim light.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Just imagine the snow would clasp you in its arms." He smiled. "You like the snow, don't you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She didn't know what happened to her. The peahen fell like in a dream, while the white colored peacock moved his head ahead until few centimeters lay between them.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Close your eyes." His voice had a calming effect. "It's okay."</em></p><p>
  <em>He couldn't help it. He didn't want to command. She should acquiesce voluntarily. He tried everything to be caring. She should feel in safe, what his parents never let him feel. In their eyes he had been always a weakling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her resistance became weaker. She gave in. Still staring, she let him move her body to his.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Their chests almost touched each other until her body rested on his upper body. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He felt her tension. It was strange, but wonderful at the same time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly and gently, his feather fingers stroke over her neck. Her tension became stronger. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She was still dreading his touch, but she didn't dare to resist.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The white prince glanced down at her. Her beak was trembling barely visible.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You aren't often in coldness, are you?"</em></p><p>"<em>Not often," she said hoarsely. "And you…?" She coughed again. </em></p><p>"<em>You shouldn't overtax your vocal cords. Stay still and try to sleep."</em></p><hr/><p>
  <em>It was a strange feeling. Silently he looked down at the woman who had fallen asleep on his body. It was an unknown experience to feel the heartbeat of someone else. She leaned her head against his chest. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A smile flashed over his beak. That's how it felt to be so close to someone. An indescribable feeling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So beautiful. So warming. Gently he took her closer. </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>He didn't know how long he lay with her together. From time to time he woke up, then he continued snoozing, until a familiar voice woke him up completely. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Master Shen. I brought you what you need."</em></p><p>
  <em>He blinked and looked at the bag what the wolf boss hold over his head. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly he stood up and waved him away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The movements woke her up. "Wha- on-"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shen put a finger on his beak. "Sleep on. I will be back soon."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He walked to a table, pushed bowls, bottles and other strange looking instruments away and put the bag on it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peahen was too exhausted and closed her eyes again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Meanwhile the white prince took out the herbs and set to work. Soothsayer had shown him often enough how he had to prepare that juice in case if he needs it in the future. After his childhood, he had never needed it anymore, but he had never forgotten how to grind the herbs and to make an educt of them.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Finally, he put the spoon aside. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yes, it was the same smell like in his memories when he had been a child.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With the juice filled bowl in his hands, he walked over to the woman and touched her shoulder. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>First, she winced, but he held the bowl in front of her face.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Drink this. That effect a miracle."</em></p><p>
  <em>Carefully, she took it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He watched her, until she had emptied the bowl.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When she wanted to give it back, she grew stiff. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His white wing wrapped her wing. The other wing took the bowl and put it away. She followed the movements of this wing. Until it returned and touched her cheek. Gently he lifted her chin. Her silver eyes looked into his dark red ones. A friendly smile of him gave her waves of joy.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I think you should take a nap now."</em></p><hr/><p>He blinked heavily.</p><p>"Don't worry," the voice of the panda reached his ears. "It will work out alright. No longer and we can continue."</p><p>"I hope so," Xia said sadly. "We wasted so much time and now we waste more time because of me."</p><p>"Och, no problem."</p><p>"But my brother could die every moment."</p><p>She stood up. "We have to travel on now."</p><p>"Just after you warmed up," the goat said and put her cane on her wing. "Then we will continue our way. Shouldn't we, Shen?"</p><p>The whole time he had watched the group around the girl and the campfire. Now he looked like he would come back from far away.</p><p>"Mm, yes. We should do that."</p><hr/><p>"I can't believe it."</p><p>Shen didn't look at her, but he listened to his "daughter's" exciting voice.</p><p>"I'm feeling very better. That juice is really a magic cure."</p><p>The old goat smiled. "It's an old remedy of Shen's family. They use it for so many years."</p><p>"Hey, Shen," Po cried over to the peacock who had turned his back to them. "She is feeling better, did you hear that?"</p><p>"Nice for you," he quashed it disinterested, staring on the river.</p><p>Disappointed Po gave it up to call his attention to them. For this reason, Po turned away and didn't see the single tear in the lord's eye.</p><p>"Oh, look! I know these mountains!" Xia said loudly and pointed ahead. "We are almost there."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, if you think, Shen is stubborn and too coldhearted, I let you know, he knows a detail what the others don't know. But you will read it very later. But this will play a big role in his behavior and doings.</p><p>I hope you liked the scene between him and Yin-Yu.</p><p>And if you wonder why I didn't give Yin-Yu fever, as far as I know, birds can't catch a fever but subnormal temperature instead.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Silent encounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Around the river bending, we can land," Xia said. "The village is not far away."</p><p>"And where is your hometown?" Po asked looking around.</p><p>The young peahen pointed more farther afield over the mountains. "A few high hills more away. But it has no sense to travel there. It's badly damaged and we aren't safe there. Spies of the Huns are around."</p><p>After a while, they stopped the ship. Xia jumped out first and waved her wing.</p><p>"Follow me."</p><p>When nobody moved, she turned around. "What are you thinking about? Let's go."</p><p>Po left the ship first, followed by the others. Just Shen came as the last one. Without the transportations, they had to go by feet. The group went after the peahen and walked between high hills. The snow wasn't very high, but the path was difficult to see.</p><p>After over one-half hour, they stopped.</p><p>"Footprints!" Po said and pointed in the deep snow. "Not very big, but not too small."</p><p>Xia came closer. "It must be from the sheep who are living in the mountains in the little village."</p><p>"That's right."</p><p>Po winced and screamed with shock when he heard that little voice next to him which came like from nothing. A sheep with woods on his back eyed them.</p><p>"Welcome strangers," it greeted the group, ignoring the panda's scream. "We are glad about every visitor."</p><p>"We are looking for your village," Xia said.</p><p>The sheep raised its eyebrows. "Do we know each other? You look familiar to me."</p><p>"That's true," Xia agreed. "I had been in your village many days ago. But now I'm back."</p><p>The sheep rubbed its chin. "Indeed, I remember. You've gone long time ago. In this case, follow me. I know a cutoff."</p><p>With that the little group moved into gear through the hilly landscape.</p><p>After a while they met more and more sheep which transported woods on their backs. Finally, the way guided them up a hill where little houses appeared, inhabited with a lot of other sheep. When the group passed the first houses, some sheep stopped and eyed the little group. It wasn't a secret for them that the peacock must be a Lord who wore a magnificent expensive robe. Shen looked from one site to the other. It was a very little village, not very comfortable. Little wooden huts without much decoration. His glance wandered ahead again. Xia heard for a special house, which lay on the top of the hill, in the middle of the village.</p><p>A sheep saw her and walked into the house, but came back shortly after and another sheep followed.</p><p>Xia went faster. Before she reached them, she put together her palms, and they bowed at each other respectfully.</p><p>"Peace be with you," the older sheep said.</p><p>Xia nodded.</p><p>"How is he?" she asked. She was afraid to ask that question.</p><p>Po came close behind her and saw the sheep didn't look happy. With lowered face it answered.</p><p>"All the time when you were gone, he didn't wake up. We managed to give him something to drink, but that's all. We don't know what we can do more for him. But he is still alive."</p><p>"Can I go to him?"</p><p>"You can," the sheep said and waved at the house door. But before Xia could enter, the sheep added: "But be warned, he shows no reaction."</p><p>Xia nodded sadly. Her eyes went to Po and Shen.</p><p>Po looked at Shen, who didn't seem to know whether he should follow her into the house or not.</p><p>Xia said nothing. She averted her glance and walked in the house.</p><p>Shen sighed, with a wave of anger, because the panda watched him pleadingly. And so, it came that the peacock entered a strange house, without knowing what he had to expect.</p><p>Po ranked his neck, but the inside of the house was in darkness. He looked around, then he walked on tiptoes slowly and carefully through the house door frame.</p><p>In the dim light, he saw how the two birds reached another part of the house which was separated by a curtain. Xia put it aside and they entered another little room. There stood a little table and a bed. The window had covered with a towel. Just a light of a lamp lighted the chamber. The girl went next to the bed where a young adult peacock lay inside. Shen didn't come closer and kept his distance. But he watched all. The young peacock's head was blue, maybe also some colors of green. His wings were blue with some dark purple colored. Slowly the lord came a little closer. At the end of the peacock's neck, he could see some white silver, stains, but not so many and not so clear like on his mother.</p><p>Xia watched him. What was the lord thinking?</p><p>But he said nothing.</p><p>After a phase of silence, Xia bent down to her sleeping brother and touched his face gently.</p><p>"Sheng?" she whispered. "Your father is here."</p><p>A hissing let her wince.</p><p>Sheng meanwhile moved his beak lips a little, but he didn't wake up.</p><p>Shen came closer, but on his face was no motion. Finally, the warlord wrinkled his nose.</p><p>"He doesn't look similar to me."</p><p>"But…," Xia started, but she reined her anger. "He comes more to our grandparents. But there is something more…"</p><p>She walked more forward and put the blanket aside and showed a part of her brother's left underwing. She took a towel and rubbed about a body part near the wing. After a while the body part became lighter until it was white.</p><p>Now the lord was a little surprised.</p><p>Xia put the towel away.</p><p>"Since his birth, some parts of his body are white. Mother was afraid it could give a hint that we, or more he, isn't Xiang's son, and since that, she colors his white feathers. Xiang should never know about that."</p><p>Shen winced, but became angry again after he saw Po's face through the curtains. The panda smiled shyly and disappeared immediately.</p><p>Then Shen put his attention back to his "children".</p><p>Xia looked at him pleadingly like she wanted that he should accept the truth. But the lord was more than skeptically and let his eyes rest on the bird in the bed.</p><p>Was that individual really his son?</p><p>His eyes moved back to her. But then he turned around without a word.</p><hr/><p>"And?" Po asked unsurely.</p><p>"And what?" Shen asked back angrily after he had left the house.</p><p>"Uhm, well, I…" He searched for another question instead whether he believes that Xia and Sheng are his children or not.</p><p>"I only wanted to know, what we do next."</p><p>"Why do you always say, <em>we</em>?"</p><p>"Okay, in this case, what are <em>you</em> going to do next?"</p><p>The lord kept silent; his face stony. To Po's relief another person continued the dialog.</p><p>"If you want to talk with her, you have to come into the castle," Soothsayer said.</p><p>"A castle?" Po asked.</p><p>She nodded. "I talked with the villagers. Both were captured in the castle of the king of the Huns named Wang."</p><p>Po rubbed his head. "In this case we have to break in. Yeah! This will be…"</p><p>"Impossible."</p><p>"Uhm?"</p><p>Two sheep, the one with that Xia talked, and another one in dark green old cloths.</p><p>"It's impossible to burgle," the first sheep said. "But after all what princess Xia told me, I had guessed that you would have such plans. For this reason, I brought you him."</p><p>He pointed at the second sheep. This one bent down. "My name is Hangfan. I know the castle like my pockets. I could smuggle you into the castle."</p><p>"Really?" Po got big eyes.</p><p>"We do business with the Huns since our origin," the older sheep explained. "Hangfan could wrangle you in without that the Huns could see you."</p><p>"How do you want to transport us?" Po asked.</p><p>"In barrels."</p><p>"Like spies?" Po clapped with his hands. "Wow, sounds very exciting! Alright. Let's rescue…"</p><p>But Shen cut his word. "Don't you dare speak it out. That's not a rescue!"</p><p>Po let hang his shoulders. "Okay, in this case, an adventure no-rescue tour."</p><p>"Our next delivery is this evening," Hangfan said. "Means, if you want to take the chance soon, we have to make ready in one hour."</p><p>"In one hour?"</p><p>Po twisted around. "Great! Time enough to warm up my fists."</p><p>"Did you make a decision?" Hangfan inquired.</p><p>"Yes! Uh, that means…"</p><p>The panda looked at the silent lord.</p><p>"It means, yes, doesn't it?"</p><p>The lord sighed. "The quicker the better," was his only answer until he turned around and walked down the snowed hill.</p><p>"Translation, that was a "yes"," Po said and walked behind the lord.</p><p>"Hey, everything okay?"</p><p>Shen rolled his eyes and looked back at him. "What's your desire again?"</p><p>"Well, a little bit more enthusiasm."</p><p>"For what?"</p><p>"Aren't you excited to see her again?"</p><p>"No!"</p><p>This made the panda perplex. "This came very fast."</p><p>"Why should I?"</p><p>"Well, you said, you wanted to make some things clear again."</p><p>"I didn't say that I want to clear it so fast."</p><p>"But don't you want to know everything before it could be too late for your…" He swallowed down the word "son". "… for her brother."</p><p>Shen avoided the panda's glance. "I don't care. Maybe it's the best for all that he dies."</p><p>Po couldn't believe what he heard. "What?</p><p>"And I don't care about her! Fine with me, she should die the same."</p><p>Po stood there like brainless. He wanted to open his mouth, but he had no idea to speak a word over his lips.</p><p>Meanwhile, Shen had turned away his glance and stared at the snow.</p><p>"I really wished she would be dead."</p><p>Po took a breath…</p><p>"Let me alone."</p><p>"Uh…"</p><p>"Let me alone!"</p><p>The panda's feet scrunched in the cold snow slowly. "Okay…"</p><p>The steps went away and let the lord alone.</p><p>
  <em>Why didn't you die?</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>Over 10 years ago…</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord stopped in his movement of writing. She was waking up. He heard her moving in the bed, but he didn't turn his head in her direction. He listened, he made believe he would concentrate about his paperwork. She sighed. He smiled gently what she couldn't see.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What was she doing? He fought with himself to look at her, but she shouldn't see his curiosity. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Mm…"</em></p><p>
  <em>Her sounds gave him a sign to break his ignoring.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Oh, you woke up."</em></p><p>
  <em>He lay the pencil aside and stood up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked better than yesterday. Carefully, she petted over her neck.</em>
</p><p>"<em>How do you feel?" he asked.</em></p><p>"<em>I'm fine. Thanks."</em></p><p>"<em>Fine." He folded his wings together under his robe. "In this case, if you think you feeling strong enough, you could company me to your new home."</em></p><p>
  <em>She looked at him with surprise. "New home?"</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>With loud a swung the gate opened. It was still cold in the big halls, but snowless.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Welcome to my new work residence," the lord declared proudly. "How does it grab you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He turned around, looking at her and waited for an answer.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She wrapped her robe closer around her body and was still looking around. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Excuse me my question, my lord," she began shyly.</em></p><p>"<em>My lord. How nice it sounds," Shen thought, but he carried it off well.</em></p><p>"<em>But what's the point of all this?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Didn't he explain it to her? Oh, of course not.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He smiled and stretched his wings. "This will bring me to the top point of the world."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He showed to the sky. "The conquest of China."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord waited for a reaction. The peahen watched him with big eyes.</em>
</p><p>"<em>A conquest?"</em></p><p>"<em>That's correct."</em></p><p>
  <em>For a moment she didn't know what to say. "Why?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>To demonstrate my power to the world. Everyone will see my might, and everyone will bow to me."</em></p><p>
  <em>Her face showed more than confusion. Did she think he was crazy?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He grinned with arrogance. Should she think what she wants. He knew his future. More than others did.</em>
</p><p>"<em>How should that be possible?" she asked perplexedly.</em></p><p>"<em>Ha, you think that's impossible, don't you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He circled around her. She followed him with her eyes, anxiously like an afraid animal.</em>
</p><p>"<em>No," she gainsaid. "But how… I can't imagine how."</em></p><p>
  <em>The lord stopped; his posture showed more than superiority.</em>
</p><p>"<em>If you want to know," he gave her a warning look. "You have to pay a price."</em></p><p>
  <em>She ducked her head. "What price?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He came closer, his eyes were serious and emphatic. "You will never leave this place until I fulfilled my destiny."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her eyes dilated while he continued.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Nobody is allowed to carry it outside. It stays behind the walls of hiddenness until it will reveal to the creatures in the world."</em></p><p>
  <em>His glance waved around before he directed his eyes back to her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>What's your answer?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She looked behind where the open door showed outside. After a while she looked back at him and nodded. "I agree."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He came closer, she felt his wing feathers under her chin which held her tight and kept her in an ahead-looking position to look in his eyes.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Swear it."</em></p><p>
  <em>His dark voice gave her an anxious shiver. </em>
</p><p>"<em>I-I swear."</em></p><p>
  <em>He loosened his grab, removed his hand, walked a few steps backwards, then he turned around.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Follow me. I will show you something."</em></p><p>
  <em>They walked over wooden bridges until they reached a big chamber.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lamps hang on the walls and lightened the room with a gruesome light. First, she got the wish to run away, but she wanted to keep her word and went behind him until the middle of the room. The lord stopped, turned around and stretched his white wings. </em>
</p><p>"<em>My solution and my fate to make it possible."</em></p><p>
  <em>He waved over a long table where a lot of chemical instruments stood. </em>
</p><p>"<em>I could imagine, you don't know what it is, do you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She shook her head slowly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I will show you."</em></p><p>
  <em>He took some vessels which contained the powder. He strewed a small heap on the table and held a smoldering incense stick over it.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Keep distance," he warned.</em></p><p>
  <em>She did. The stick touched the powder and it inflamed in a blinding little explosion.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The woman winced and stumbled back.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Had a scare?" He laughed and put the stick away.</em></p><p>
  <em>Then he went to her. She looked a little afraid. What went through her head?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Feel honored," he said with a dark grin. "Usually I allow no one to see my inner rooms."</em></p><p>
  <em>She pressed herself on the wall. He came closer.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Do you believe it now, that I will rule China one day?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She trembled, but she nodded.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He reached out his wing. Their body almost touched. She winced. His feather finger stroke over her beak.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Never one word outside," he whispered. He stopped his movement with his finger, kept it on her lips. "Never."</em></p><p>
  <em>He added his pressure.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Breaking your word, I will end your life like my gun powder in fire."</em></p><p>
  <em>Now she managed to open her lips.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Never."</em></p><hr/><p>Shen narrowed his eyes. That had been the first time in his life that he trusted someone beyond doubt. But that was for nothing.</p><p>
  <em>I wish you are dead.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Xia has more resemblance to her mother and another part of her family. But Sheng is a piebald peacock. If you want to see some beautiful pictures, look at google and write "piebald peacock".</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Behind the walls of veiling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I'm so excited!" Po muttered again and again after he had climbed into one of the barrels.</p><p>It was almost in the noon, when Hangfan came with a cart into the village like promised. But it needed more than persuasiveness to persuade Shen to climb inside the primitive transportation. Especially after Hangfan told his camouflage method, that he would superimpose a wooden plate to fill material on it so that if the guards of the castle would control the content, they would never see the stowaways.</p><p>Xia watched them from the distance. Of course, nobody wanted to take her along. It would be too dangerous for her. All the same to Soothsayer who promised to have an eye on her and on her brother.</p><p>"Alright," Shen surrendered and took one foot inside the cask.</p><p>Po who had already sat in his hide place didn't try to look his way. But before Hangfan could close his cask, Xia came closer.</p><p>"Good luck Dragon Warrior."</p><p>"Oh, thank you. And don't worry. I will bring back your mother, alive and well."</p><p>Xia forced a smile. "Watch over her, please."</p><p>She gave Shen a worried look.</p><p>Po saluted. "No problem. Everything is under my control."</p><p>"But be wary of Xiang."</p><p>"Och, I had dealt with many guys before, we will come to terms with him."</p><p>Xia shook her head slowly. "You don't know him. I had the impression that the attack of the Huns had a sense."</p><p>Po paused. "An attack and abduction a sense?"</p><p>"It's just a feeling."</p><p>"Aha."</p><p>"We have to go," Hangfan said.</p><p>Po ducked and the sheep put the wooden plate over him and closed the barrel so that between Po and the aperture were some inches of free air until Hangfan filled the empty space with fish.</p><p>Po wrinkled his nose. "You didn't speak about that. Alright. A dirty hide place is maybe the best shelter to be hidden before the enemies' eyes."</p><hr/><p>Po rubbed his palms together. It was cold, but he was happy about his thick fur. From time to time he looked through a little hole in the barrel so that he could watch the environment outside.</p><p>The cart drove through hills and snow until the snowed wood became bleaker, rocks and higher hills changed the landscape. Po didn't know how long, but somewhen Hangfan knocked against the casks.</p><p>"Be careful. We come to the first control station of the Huns on the border between China and their land."</p><p>"I'm ready for everything and everyone," Po muttered back. Shen said nothing, but nobody cared.</p><p>"Silent like the wind," Po thought and covered his mouth with his hands just to be sure.</p><p>It didn't take more than a few minutes and the cart stopped.</p><p>Deep voices met the merchant and the stowaway's ears. The Hun guards didn't sound very friendly. No longer and they surrounded the cart, accompanied by Hangfan who taught them about his goods. Po watched through the barrel hole and caught a glimpse of two big bullocks.</p><p>The panda heard how the boxes were opened. His heart stopped when the cap of his barrel came next. Shortly after it was closed again after the guard saw the fishes only on the top of the wooden hiding place. Po took a silent breath of relief, but he wouldn't be angry about a fight. But maybe it was the best for all not to make a stand.</p><p>The cart moved on.</p><p>Po cheered.</p><p>The first step was done.</p><p>After a while they heard the quiet voice of Hangfan again.</p><p>"The castle is not far away," he said. "We are already there. We just have to pass the guards on the gate."</p><p>"Nice," Po muttered. "The Hun king can make a little trip from the Hun land to China to buy cheaper clothes. How practical."</p><hr/><p>Po's efforts to get a look at the castle of the Huns were useless. The little hole in the cask was too small to get an overview. He had no other choice than to wait until the cart arrived the guards who stood before the gate of the castle.</p><p>It was a luck for both that the guards knew the merchant and didn't control too long the goods on the cart. The gates were opened and the cart drove through the big entrance.</p><p>The shadows of the stony walls swallowed them.</p><p>"Wow, heebie-jeebies," Po thought and continued his watching.</p><p>Dark stony walls passed them and guided them through narrow alleys. Maybe it was something like a backdoor what they had passed. The alleys were too small for an army.</p><p>The cart drove a while longer until it stopped.</p><p>"Okay, the coast is clear," Hangfan said.</p><p>Shorty after Po heard how the top of the cask was cleared and the plate removed.</p><p>Carefully the panda peeked over the edge and looked around.</p><p>They stood in a very little yard in near of a little house, maybe for supplies of food. His eyes moved higher and saw high walls around with towers and more towering walls.</p><p>"We are near the middle of the castle," Hangfan explained after he let out the lord from his hide place. The peacock rubbed his feathers and smoothed down his robe, then he put his wings together and raised his head like always in a proud posture.</p><p>Po jumped from the cart and watched his environment curiously.</p><p>"And what next?"</p><p>"From here you can go through an underground path. Not many people know about it. Even not King Wang himself. It's a very complicate way system."</p><p>Po rubbed his head. "And how should we find the way?"</p><p>A little chirping let him wince. "What…"</p><p>Something jumped on his head. It was a cicada.</p><p>"Greetings black-white rock," the brown insect said.</p><p>"Uhm, hello, my name is Po."</p><p>Hangfan waved his hand. "This is Tu."</p><p>"Tu?"</p><p>The cicada chirped loudly. "Tu my name, yes."</p><p>Po chuckled. "Alright, Tu."</p><p>Tu looked in the panda's right eye angrily. "Do you have a problem?"</p><p>"Uh, no, I just thought about tutu."</p><p>The insect pulled his eyelid. "Watch your mouth, buffing wheel! Or I will let you alone in the labyrinth."</p><p>For the first time a smile flickered across Shen's face.</p><p>"Many apologies," the lord said. "He has bad manners."</p><p>The cicada looked up and eyed the white peacock.</p><p>Then he jumped on his beak and eyed him more. "Mm, by the look of you, I could imagine why you are here. I saw one of your species, but he had much worse manners than that fatty."</p><p>Po rubbed over his belly. "Hey, it's just too much fur."</p><p>"One of my species?" Shen asked who had a guess.</p><p>"Indeed," the insect continued. "Wang's new prisoner is a little tyrant."</p><p>Hangfan came closer. "Are you talking about Xiang?"</p><p>"That was his name," Tu confirmed. "Terrible guy. In contrast to his wife. She is like a closed book. Says no word, but she is not a stupid person."</p><p>"How are they?" Po asked, still Xia's words in mind.</p><p>"They are fine until now. I already saw her husband in the dungeon."</p><p>"And what about his wife?" Po asked. "Is she in the dungeon, too?"</p><p>Tu shook his antennas. "No. Wang allows her more freedom, but under observation. She got a room for her own. I have the impression Wang is going to make a deal with her."</p><p>"A deal?" Po asked and wondered why Shen asked nothing.</p><p>"That's what he wants to talk about with her this evening. If we're fast, we can have a share their conversation."</p><p>"This evening?" Po jumped around. "Let's go!"</p><p>"Not so fast, fatty," Tu said and jumped down on the floor. "Don't forget, without my help, you could be lost in the underground halls. Just follow me."</p><p>With that the insect jumped with big jumps away.</p><p>Po wanted to run behind, but then he stopped. "What about you?" he asked Hangfan.</p><p>The sheep shook his head. "I have to unload the cart. Go with him."</p><p>"Roger."</p><p>With that Po disappeared around the corner. Shen followed them with quick footsteps. Despite his long feathers he made no single sound.</p><p>In a threesome they sneaked along the walls until Tu stopped in front of a wall. He tapped on a stone and a little part of the wall opened.</p><p>Po and Shen didn't ask when Tu disappeared in the dark wall cave. Together they entered a dark corridor which was lighted by some torches.</p><p>"Follow me," Tu said and jumped ahead.</p><p>They went through small corridors and stairs, until they reached the top of a building tower wall. Here they got the chance to take a look outside through very, very small slit windows.</p><p>"Don't be surprised," the cicada said. "The hidden ways were built behind second walls of the building. But you can't see it if you look at the building."</p><p>"It's like a spy place," Po said and peeked through the stony slits. Now they realize how big this castle really was. It was more than a castle with few towers and a wall around. Behind the main walls stood the main building and more behind flat stony houses and a big yard, which must be a part for the Huns Army. On the top of the walls Po could see more oxen, very muscular and armed and looked like they could run through a thick wall easily.</p><p>Po looked to the sky. It was almost in the evening. Suddenly a light Chinese gong of a bell sounded through the air.</p><p>"Was that the signal for dinner time?" the panda asked. "My stomach is rumbling."</p><p>Shen sighed. "That's a typical sound of a signal that the king is expecting someone."</p><p>"We're almost there," Tu said. "Here we can take a look."</p><p>The cicada made few jumps more around a corner and touched a stone plate in the ceiling. He opened it and they stood in a small gouge at the edge of a roof which was impossible to see from the walls around. With ducked heads, they went along the hidden way and peeked over the roof edge. From here they had a good overview about a big yard which lay directly in front of the main building. In the next moment two oxen carried a roofed with curtains covered palanquin close to the entrance.</p><p>They put it down and the guard of the house walked over to it. One of the carriers pulled the curtain aside and a dark figure climbed out. The figure was much smaller than them.</p><p>Po held his breath.</p><p>It was a peahen.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Colorblind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Po watched the scenario. The peahen put the wings together under her dark purple robe. Her plumage was dark brown with silver white stains on her neck. Her posture showed sadness, her face was lowered, but she gave the impression that her pride was still unbroken. One of the ox guards waved his spear in his hand and pointed along the corridor. The peahen obeyed and followed the first guards who walked ahead.</p><p>"Wow. She is really very beautiful," Po breathed.</p><p>He looked at Shen. The peacock stood there with an elusive expression. His thoughts seemed to be so far away and yet still his mind was clear like never. He followed her with his eyes, didn't want to miss a part of her movements until she disappeared in the corridor which guided into the main building of the castle. But after that, he still didn't say a word and Po was afraid the peacock had lost his spirit of life.</p><p>"Mm… Shen?"</p><p>Like a lightning a movement went through the lord's body. Occurring at the same time he found back the ability of speaking. But his face muscles showed no emotion.</p><p>"She is beautiful, for sure," the warlord said icily. "But with one mistake."</p><p>Po raised an eyebrow. "What mistake?"</p><p>"You don't have to know much, panda."</p><p>
  <em>That's just for me. </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <strong>Over 10 years ago…</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Thoughtfully she watched the lord who stood in front of a big cupboard and looked for something. It was the second day after they had changed the place from the cave in the new quarter. She rubbed her wings together.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>To stay until he had fulfilled his destiny. How long would that be?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She had seen so many peacocks in her life, but never someone like him. Not only because of his exterior. He had something strange and a two scaled personality. He could change his mood in one second so drastically like from day to night. That scared her. She could never foresee what he planned next. But he knew his limits in his environment, but he liked to play with fire at the same time.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What are you thinking?"</em></p><p>
  <em>His question shocked her mind. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He turned around.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Something important?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She shook her head wildly. "No, I just thought, about…"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She waved her wings around. "It's just all so strange."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord snorted and turned his back on her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I didn't mean it in a negative way," she added quickly. "You have a vision which has very big dimensions."</em></p><p>"<em>But you think it's impossible, don't you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>His voice sounded aggrieved and he stroked over a paper roll.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She sighed. "You seem to feel confident. It's so unfamiliar to me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was silence between them. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Finally, she opened her lips again. "Where do you come from?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The white lord gave her a suspicious side-glance. </em>
</p><p>"<em>From Gongmen City."</em></p><p>
  <em>Then he shirked from her look again. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Gongmen City?"</em></p><p>"<em>You know it?"</em></p><p>"<em>I only know, that there lives a peacock family who created the firework."</em></p><p>"<em>They only don't create firework, they invented it."</em></p><p>"<em>Does it mean, you are one of them?"</em></p><p>"<em>Yes," he answered a little annoyed. He took a paper and went with that to a table. </em></p><p>"<em>Can you do firework?" She asked more. "Are you experienced in this art of creation?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The peacock shrugged his shoulders. "It's the simplest work for me. But I have better things to do than to waste my talent for a firework."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He threw the paper on the table and sat himself on a chair.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Such a firework, it must be beautiful."</em></p><p>
  <em>He rolled his eyes. "Just a waste of talent. Just for entertainment. It can more than that. It gives me power. Or did you never see a firework?" </em>
</p><p>"<em>Seldom. Very seldom."</em></p><p>
  <em>For a while nobody said a word anymore. Shen meanwhile, tried to concentrate on the paper, but now he couldn't anymore. His mind circled around her words again and again. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Maybe I have to test my materials," he muttered more to himself. "Could you bring me the glass with the red powder?"</em></p><p>"<em>Red?"</em></p><p>"<em>I know no other color with that name. It's on the shelf."</em></p><p>
  <em>She kept silent. The lord looked at her. "Mm. A problem?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>No, no problem."</em></p><p>
  <em>Feverishly she looked over the bottles. But there were no name labels on it. Just gun powder or explosive warnings. </em>
</p><p>"<em>What is it?"</em></p><p>"<em>I… I…"</em></p><p>
  <em>Her wings trembled.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I can't find it."</em></p><p>"<em>Impossible. I've placed it on the shelf yesterday."</em></p><p>
  <em>He left his sitting place and walked over to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With one grip he held the red gun powder bottle in his feathered hand and held it out to her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>So easy to see," he said mockingly. "Are you blind?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She lowered her face with shame. But this didn't satisfy him. "Mpf, if it's so difficult for you, you can compare it with my red feathers."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He snorted. "The only simple color what I have."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She wrapped her wings around herself. "At least you can see your color."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>In a harsh movement, she turned around, her face still dropped.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Seeing?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Shen didn't understand her words. </em>
</p><p>"<em>What do you mean with that?"</em></p><p>"<em>Nothing," she hissed.</em></p><p>
  <em>She screamed in fear when he grabbed her shoulders, turned her around and pressed her against the wall.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I don't like it if someone speaks in riddles to me," he threatened. The peacock sharp-eyed her so hard that she got tears in her eyes. Without success, she tried to come free. But her struggling was useless. He was much stronger than her. He grabbed her chin and forced her to see into his eyes.</em></p><p>"<em>What did you mean?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He could feel her fast heartbeat.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her beak lips trembled. She had troubles to breathe regularly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He added his pressure. "I'm waiting."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A sobbing sound escaped her throat. "I – I … I can't see it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She closed her eyes. Was she waiting for a reproach?</em>
</p><p>"<em>I'm… I'm colorblind."</em></p><p>
  <em>She didn't dare to open her eyes. At least his pressure on her chin became weaker. She listened to her breath. She wished to be somewhere else, but not here.</em>
</p><p>"<em>So, you can see no color?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She shook her head. "Nothing. Black, gray, white… Nothing more."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peahen felt his wings left her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>I'm nothing."</em></p><p>
  <em>Without his pressure she sank down. Then she covered her face with her own wings. She heard how his feet went away. She didn't look up. She only sat on the floor against the wall. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord had returned to the table, put his wings on the surface and stared at it. Finally, he left her and she stayed alone.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>She didn't know how long but somewhen she heard him coming back. Unsurely she looked in his direction. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He stood there like always in his proud posture. For a while they watched at each other, until he waved his head. "Come with me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She didn't dare to hesitate. She left her place and followed him through the corridors.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The meal smelled good, but she didn't feel hunger. And she didn't look at him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She only saw how he took a glass and drank. Then he put it back on the table.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She didn't move.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All the more she winced when he put a bowl in front of her. First, she wanted to say, she wasn't hungry. But then she struck it as odd when she didn't smell something from the bowl. She eyed the content closer. It was white, but was it really white?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Touch it," she heard his voice.</em></p><p>
  <em>Now her eyes wandered to him. He had put his elbows on the table and had folded his wings together.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Touch it," he repeated.</em></p><p>
  <em>She hesitated, but then she did. It felt cold. Very cold. She took something from the bowl and held it under her nose. She smelled nothing. Was that…?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Snow is white."</em></p><p>
  <em>She winced when the lord's words threw a shiver through her body. </em>
</p><p>"<em>It's cold and shiny. And without smell."</em></p><p>
  <em>He pushed the bowl away and placed another bowl to her. The content was a little difficult to define. This time she put her feather fingers inside alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She felt something hard and long. She took it out. It was blades of grass. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Green is fresh like grass."</em></p><p>
  <em>She rubbed it between her feather fingers. She smelled it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She gave him shy look. What was he going to effect with that?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Again he changed the bowls. This time it was something cubical inside. She took a deep breath. It smelled sweet. She knew that fruit.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Peaches.</em>
</p><p>"<em>They are orange. Orange smells often this way."</em></p><p>
  <em>She lowered her face. "Why this?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He kept silent for a moment.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I don't like questions."</em></p><p>
  <em>She looked at him. His face was serious. "You would do me a favor if you don't ask me why. Alright?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She ducked her head. Then she nodded. "Alright."</em>
</p><hr/><p>"Hello? Hello? Earth to Shen. Are you still here?"</p><p>The lord jumped up when the panda touched his shoulder. "Are you crazy?!"</p><p>The panda ducked his head in an apologizing way. "Sorry, but if we want to hear the conversation, we have to hurry up."</p><p>The lord cleaned his throat. "Alright. But never touch me like that again."</p><p>Po rubbed his arms. "Okay."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The lady, the king and the lord</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While Po, Shen and Tu went through the secret corridors behind, or more inside, the walls of the castle, the soldiers guided the peahen through the long main corridor.</p><p>The building of King Wang was more a mixture of a rustically castle and a noble palace. Outside it looked like a cold, scary stronghold, but inside, at least of King Wang's rooms, had all sorts of convenience. But not nearly like Shen's palace decoration. Wang's interior equipment was more robust without many details. Tables had not many adornments. No mirrors. The inner walls without wallpapers or pictures. Just stones, but in a light tone. Also, the floor had covered with some carpets, but no marble. The light came not from candles, but from lanterns in iron cages.</p><p>The peahen with name Lady Yin-Yu didn't pay attention to it. It had no meaning for her where she went and where she was. Like an obedient child she followed the oxen until the second floor, where King Wang's private rooms were. The first guard exchanged few words with another ox guard in front of the door. Then he opened it and asked something in the room. Another deep voice answered and the guard nodded.</p><p>The guards walked away while the bouncer showed her the way into the room.</p><p>King Wang, a big ox with big horns and furred clothes got up from his big chair.</p><p>"Welcome Lady Yin-Yu. I hope you are satisfied with your abode, aren't you?"</p><p>Now for the first time the peahen raised her eyes.</p><p>She was standing in a more comfortable room with more decoration and adornment. But still stony walls.</p><hr/><p>"That's it."</p><p>The cicada pointed at a little wooden beam in the wall. "Behind this you can take a look into King Wang's private room."</p><p>"Alright." Po said and pushed the wood aside where he looked through two little holes in the wall.</p><p>"Oh, I can see her. Do you want to take a look, too?"</p><p>He looked at Shen. But the lord shirked from a look. "I'm not deaf."</p><p>Po snorted. "Spoilsport."</p><p>"Please take a seat," he heard King Wang's voice.</p><p>Quickly he looked through the two holes again.</p><p>King Wang had stridden up to her and waved at a smaller chair. Lady Yin-Yu didn't say a word and sat down. Her head still bowed.</p><p>The ox snorted with a laugh and put a tea cup on the table. But she didn't look at it. Her face was still directed down. But then she moved her lips.</p><p>"Where are my children?"</p><p>A new snorting and Po were afraid he could hit her.</p><p>"Is that the only thing what you want to know?" King Wang said a little annoyed. "As I said it before, we have no idea. We lost them after the conquest of your town. We found no corpses. For this reason, I would make too much worry."</p><p>She didn't reply and kept her face down while King Wang walked slowly back and forth.</p><p>"Your husband was a stupid man. It was his own fault that he goaded me. Nobody threats an ox. That's what he should brand in his brain."</p><p>The lady snapped for air weakly. Then she put her hands together and managed to keep her head up. "Why did you give me that privilege?"</p><p>"I'm glad you are no fool like your husband. Well, in light of the fact that you can imagine I can't allow that your husband keeps lord in your city or in my neighborhood anymore. But I can't allow that the city keeps on his own without a ruler and a swayer by its site."</p><p>He made a little break before he stood still and stared down at her.</p><p>"I appeal to you, and I'm sure you don't act foolishly and reject it. Your husband has to stay in prison, but I will not let him go short, as long as he doesn't behave like a maniac anymore. My jailers complain about him day long."</p><p>The peahen closed her eyes and pressed her wings together like she wished it should be over soon. At last King Wang came to the point.</p><p>"My suggestion is, you annul the marriage with him and marry me instead."</p><p>Now the peahen found more force to stiff her sitting posture.</p><p>Po swallowed down a "what?". "Did you hear that?" he asked hoarsely and tapped on the lord's shoulder.</p><p>"Don't touch me!" the lord hissed. "I'm not deaf."</p><p>Po pressed his lips together. "Didn't you understand what he said?"</p><p>"Pssst!" Tu whispered.</p><p>Meanwhile, Lady Yin-Yu still didn't say a word. King Wang waved his hand.</p><p>"You don't have to take a decision today. But don't wait too long."</p><p>Suddenly a loud muffled scream came from the corridor behind the door. A guard came in. He was out of breath.</p><p>"What's going on?" King Wang asked.</p><p>"There is an insurrection in prison."</p><p>King Wang thought he wouldn't hear right, but then he turned back to Yin-Yu.</p><p>"You stay here. I will be back every moment."</p><p>With loud slam the door was closed. Shortly after the peahen sank back on the chair and covered her face. It became silent.</p><p>Po cramped his toes. "That's our chance. Let's take her out."</p><p>He looked at Tu. "Is there a way to come in the room?"</p><p>The cicada moved her antennas. "Of course."</p><p>"Awesome! Show me the way, companion."</p><p>The cicada rolled his eyes, but he did and activated again a stone in the wall. Slowly and quietly a part of the wall gave in and opened like a revolving door.</p><p>Po was ready to run forward, but then he hesitated and looked back. But the lord stood there like he wouldn't be interested.</p><p>"Uh, don't you want to go first?"</p><p>The peacock lifted his nose. "I will be not the one who runs to her."</p><p>He raised his wing in a disgusting way and turned around.</p><p>Po narrowed his rolling eyes.</p><p>"But you came here."</p><p>"No discussion."</p><p>With that the lord walked away. "Bring her to the stairs. I will wait there."</p><p>For a moment Po didn't know to say something. "O-okay, I understood. In this case my turn."</p><p>Carefully, he pushed the wall door. He sniffed and looked around, just to be sure. Nobody beside her or him was in the room. On tiptoes, he went over to her.</p><p>The lady gave no attention to her environment. She gave the impression of being lost in a lonely world. Po felt pity rose inside him. What had such a beautiful, fragile flower done that the lord bores such a deep grudge against her?</p><p>But there was no time for interpretation. Carefully Po bent down.</p><p>The peahen didn't notice him. Just after he started to whisper some words.</p><p>"Uh… hi?"</p><p>He swallowed. Her eyes were like dark silver. In tired eyes. But beautiful eyes. The lady didn't seem to be shocked, but also not carefree. Her eyes became bigger and looked at the panda unsurely.</p><p>"Don't worry," Po said. "I'm a good friend of your daughter."</p><p>Now new life came in her. Quickly, to Po's surprise, she grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes.</p><p>"Where is she?"</p><p>"She is… she is in safety," Po answered still blindsided.</p><p>"What about my son?" Was her next quick question.</p><p>"He is alive," Po answered truthfully. "But come on. We bring you away."</p><p>"We?"</p><p>"Yes, more later. This way."</p><p>Gently he took her wing and pulled her to the hidden secret passageway. Shortly after they had passed it Po closed the door. Then he took her wing again and together they went through the narrow corridor until they came into a hall, where a stone circular stair showed upwards.</p><p>The panda looked around. But he couldn't see the white peacock.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Po looked back. The peahen had still a sad expression on her face. Would it come better or worse?</p><p>"Well," Po started again. "Here we are."</p><p>"Why do we stop?"</p><p>He left her hand. "Well, I think, there is someone who wants to talk with you."</p><p>Again a looked around. "Every moment. I think. Soon."</p><p>There was a rustling clangorous sound. Po looked up automatically. In the dim light of the night and darkness in the hidden masonries appeared a white ghostly figure on the top of the stairway.</p><p>Po cleaned his throat and pointed upwards.</p><p>"This is the one who wants to talk with you."</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Icy reencounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Po didn't know what happened. All what he saw was that Shen went down one step of the stony stair more. The panda looked back. But he didn't realize more than that the peahen sank down to the ground. The Dragon Warrior jumped up with shock.</p><p>"Oh no, she is dead!... No, she is still breathing!"</p><p>While Po was running around her, Shen walked step by step downstairs slowly. His unemotional face expression didn't change. Just his eyes were directed down where the lady had fallen.</p><p>In the meantime, Po had laid her on her back and waved his hands over her face.</p><p>"She needs fresh air."</p><p>"Panda," the white lord said calmly and crossed the last step. "She is just fallen into a faint, just before you make mouth-to-mouth respiration."</p><p>Po was really going to open her mouth, but then he hesitated and thought.</p><p>"Oh, okay, okay, I have got it. Of course, no one should touch her lips, shouldn't it?"</p><p>The peacock snorted and crossed his arms more. "Could you stop with that, please? What I meant is, she doesn't deserve it. As I said it before, she has no meaning to me."</p><p>Po rolled his eyes and waved his hands up in an annoyed way. "Why do you say this every time? Could you explain me what she had done to you?"</p><p>But Shen looked away from him. "That doesn't concern you, panda."</p><p>The panda narrowed his eyes angrily. "It still calls, Po. And I have to say that I'm so sick of your childishness."</p><p>"Childishness?"</p><p>A cold smile crossed the lord's lips.</p><p>"Don't talk about things about you have no knowledge."</p><p>"About what knowledge?"</p><p>The lord came back to his pride posture and closed and opened his eyes very slowly.</p><p>"Let me tell you what the fact is, panda. I already talked about your naivety. What you see here is wickedness in person. She knows to hide mendacity very well."</p><p>He stopped. A weak moaning sounded. The peahen moved; her eyes still closed.</p><p>Po tapped his fingers together nervously when she began to blink.</p><p>Her vision was still blurred and saw just two white and white-black shadows.</p><p>"A-am I dead?" she asked weakly.</p><p>Po looked at Shen. But he preferred to keep silent. For this reason, Po made the first step.</p><p>"No, you aren't dead. I think." Carefully he bent down to her.</p><p>"Let me help you up."</p><p>He laid his hands under her wings and lifted her up. She was still a little shaking on her feet, but she had enough power to keep standing. Now her sight had recovered enough to see clearly.</p><p>Po stayed behind her and watched how she stared at the white peacock who still stood there like a stature.</p><p>Finally, she managed to move her lips.</p><p>"You- you are-"</p><p>Shen narrowed his eyes. No smile, no positive sight. He looked like his glance would be poison.</p><p>Po snapped for air with fear and thought she would fall to the ground again. But instead she let fall herself forward and embraced the lord in a despairing way, like she was afraid he could melt into thin air every moment.</p><p>"I've missed you," she whispered hoarsely.</p><p>For a brief moment Po hoped he would reciprocate her embrace and would wrap his arms around her. But then…</p><p>He lifted his wings, pushed her away and looked in her face angrily.</p><p>"After so long, and that's all what you have to say?"</p><p>"It could have been advisable to say "Hello"," Po thought.</p><p>The peahen was dumbfounded and stared at him with big unsure eyes. "B-but, I… I thought… you are dead."</p><p>Shen snorted and turned away. "Surprised? Mm. You have no big mouth if I'm standing in front of you, do you?"</p><p>Po watched how Yin-Yu's wings trembled. Her right wing placed over her chest like she was afraid her heart would stop beating every moment. Her eyes became wet.</p><p>Shen gave her a malicious side-glance.</p><p>"Yes, I know everything, Fang. Or should I better say, Yin-Yu?"</p><p>Her voice died. There was no sound in her throat. But somehow she took a strong breath, but her voice was still shaking.</p><p>"I-I'm sorry. I never - wanted to leave you… but I was afraid of my parents' soldiers."</p><p>"I know," Shen cut her word. "Xia already told me."</p><p>"You met her?"</p><p>"Silent." He turned to her in a harsh way. "I came just for one thing. Tell me, are they my children?"</p><p>She hesitated with the answer. Shen looked at her so threateningly that she needed time to pick up courage for a reply. Shen watched her lips like a predator its prey.</p><p>"Y-yes."</p><p>Her hoarsely scream was cut when he jumped at her. Both birds landed on the stony cold floor. She on her back while the lord stood with his claws on her upper body and neck.</p><p>Po stopped himself of breaking them up.</p><p>Shen's body trembled with rage while he spoke in a controlled but explosive voice.</p><p>"How many times do you want to lie to me?"</p><p>"What lies? I have to admit, that I sank my real origin was a lie, but… they are your children…"</p><p>"Oh, really?" The sarcasm in his voice was more than hard. "Did you think I forgot what you wrote me? How stupid are you? Or more, how stupid do you think am I? Are you so mendacious that you binned me with a simple letter and now to tell me that ramblings?! You were so coward to say it to my face?! Who do you think you are?!"</p><p>The woman was like paralyzed.</p><p>"A- a letter? I don't understand. Of- of course, I wrote a letter, but that's impossible. I've never got the chance to send it away."</p><p>Shen hissed. "I can't believe it that you talk about it without regret and has still the effrontery to look into my eyes! You are the most mendacious what I have ever seen."</p><p>The woman didn't know what to say and kept silent with shock while Shen felt a wave of satisfaction.</p><p>"Are you afraid now?" He moved his claws upwards. "Or am I still not good enough for you?"</p><p>A glimmer of shame and sadness crossed his face for a short moment before it changed to hate.</p><p>"I really thought you would feel something for me. I really thought it…"</p><p>"But… but I did…"</p><p>She winced when he dug his claws deeper in the under part of her long neck.</p><p>"As long as I'm not present you think you can push me like you want and can take me for a fool, do you?"</p><p>She began to sob.</p><p>"No- this between us… our night… wasn't a lie."</p><p>Shen's face became a little relaxed. But not complete. He climbed down from her and growled darkly.</p><p>Po got a shiver of fear. Never he had seen Shen so angry like now.</p><p>The peacock turned his back on her.</p><p>"I gave you everything," he spoke bitterly. "My respect. My consideration, my inner secrets… now all for nothing; for an insincere thing like you."</p><p>He turned back. A gleeful smile crossed his lips. "I remember. Our night. I called you silver. Do you remember? In the night when we loved each other. I counted every silver feather of your body."</p><p>He darted the panda a warning look. This one cleaned his throat and looked away.</p><p>Yin-Yu didn't know what Shen was going to do next. She reached out her wing to touch his hand. But before she could touch one feather he flinched back and avoided her touch.</p><p>His eyes were cold and icy.</p><p>"Tell me," she pleaded. "What have I done?"</p><p>"Forget it!" With disgust, he waved his wings away from her. "I hate you more than everything in that damn filthy world."</p><p>"I, but I thought, you and me, we would…"</p><p>But the lord didn't let her finish her sentence. Instead, he jumped at her again and threw her on the floor. With one foot, he pressed her throat.</p><p>The female panicked. "Wha-t are you… I don't know… forgive me."</p><p>But the lord didn't listen to her words and bent down to her face.</p><p>"You should have thought about it earlier," he said glacially. "But what you have done to me was unforgivable. All the years, I waited for this day."</p><p>He smiled evilly.</p><p>"I had a dream. Where you lay dead at my feet."</p><p>A terrified yank went through the female body when he darted one of his feather knives in front of her face.</p><p>"You cut me down."</p><p>The lord's voice echoed through her head.</p><p>"I was going to cut your throat for that."</p><p>She held her breath when the sharp blade touched her nose.</p><p>Shen's face changed to a pitiful glee.</p><p>"But you shall suffer for my pain that you gave to me. Did you think I would have a feeling? Is it because of my color? Oh no, don't talk about your snow story again. That was a bad scam. But I'm ready to cut your face so that everyone should see what an ugly visage you hide under your dark feathers."</p><p>"No!"</p><p>Po has been already to jump, but the voice of a young girl let him freeze.</p><p>A colored shadow appeared, pushed the lord away and threw herself over the peahen.</p><p>The panda opened his eyes wide.</p><p>"Xia?"</p><p>The voice of her mother sent a shiver of relief that there was still life in her.</p><p>For a moment the peacock was confused.</p><p>"How did you…"</p><p>"I hid myself on the cart, too," the girl answered while she grabbed her fingers around her mother.</p><p>The lord trembled with rage. "How dare you?!"</p><p>Now she looked up and glared at him. "Did you really think I would let her alone with you? You seem to hate her. I was worried."</p><p>"For good reason."</p><p>The peacock didn't want to waste more time and tried to push her away.</p><p>"Get off!"</p><p>"How cruel are you?!"</p><p>Her eyes were filled with hate and despair.</p><p>The lord growled. "Ask more her how cruel she was to me."</p><p>Po winced when he felt something small jumped on his head.</p><p>"Excuse me," Tu said and looked into the panda's eyes. "There is a strong turmoil outside. We should leave that place before they blockade every exit."</p><p>"Uh, yes," Po agreed nervously. "People, maybe you could take a rain check your family dispute. We have to disappear immediately."</p><p>Po didn't have to say it twice. As fast as she could Xia help her mother up and went with her in her arms closer to the panda, while Shen stayed at his place in his rage.</p><p>Po couldn't help himself and bent over to the afraid peahens.</p><p>"Are you alright?"</p><p>"Fine, thanks," Xia replied shortly.</p><p>Her mother said nothing. With bowed head, she had effort to stand on her feet.</p><p>Po preferred to avoid more questions and gave Shen a look of reproach.</p><p>But the lord showed no regret for what he had almost done. His eyes still stuck on the one who he had loved a long time ago and was nothing more than nothing now.</p><p>Even Tu didn't know how to find the right words, until he decided to make it short.</p><p>"Alright. This way."</p><p>Po was the first one who walked a little faster. "Okay, follow…"</p><p>Suddenly something crashed against him. Po fell aside and heard somebody cursing.</p><p>"Hey!" The panda cried and rubbed his arm. "Can't you…?"</p><p>Po froze the blood in his veins.</p><p>The one who had fallen against him was a second peacock.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Change of plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"How can you dare to stand in my way?!"</p><p>Po hadn't expected such a churlish question from that bird, but he didn't need much time to guess, that this naughty guy was Xiang.</p><p>His feathering included some purple and light blue feathers in his blue color. All in all, not a bad combination. Including his robe was dark blue-yellow. Maybe too much colorful, but he seemed to like that. Just his language was far from flowery.</p><p>"I asked you something!" Xiang shouted. "Out of my way!"</p><p>Po managed to avoid the next slap in last second.</p><p>"Hey!" the panda retorted. "Are you feeling alright?"</p><p>"Xiang?"</p><p>The voice of his "daughter" let the colorful peacock keep silent for a little moment and stared at his wife and Xia. Po hoped it would calm him down, but Xiang became just more annoyed.</p><p>"What on earth are you doing here?! That wasn't scheduled."</p><p>Xia, who still held her mother in her arms, narrowed her eyes angrily.</p><p>"Does it not care you what we had gone through? Mother is feeling very bad."</p><p>"As often." The peacock was more than disinterested. "How many times should I tell you, you mustn't speak to me in the presence of others?!"</p><p>Xia pressed her lips together and stroke her mother's head, who had ducked her head more down when she realized her husband's voice.</p><p>"Shabby fool," he muttered. "You ruin everything."</p><p>Finally, Xiang's eyes wandered to Shen, who stood there with folded together hands. His face was annoyed in the same way. For a brief moment the other peacock didn't know what to say. But just for three seconds.</p><p>"Who's that?"</p><p>Now, Shen lifted his head, but didn't answer the question. Instead, he asked something other with brusque voice.</p><p>"And you are her – husband?"</p><p>"Child, answer you my question!"</p><p>These words pertained to Xia. The young peahen looked from one to another. Didn't Shen care about what Xiang was thinking? She was still feeling the rage in her stomach because of her biological father, but with that truth, she would endanger the life of her mother.</p><p>"Don't you care about what happened to Sheng?" she asked carefully, sure that Xiang would be angry with her just more.</p><p>"Stupid thing," Xiang scolded. "How could I rear something like you?"</p><p>"But he is really bad!"</p><p>"Bad?" After so long her mother lifted her head and stared at her daughter with wide eyes. "How bad?"</p><p>"No, not the kind of bad what you are thinking… no mother."</p><p>She felt how her mother added her pressure around her arms.</p><p>"Don't think about it," Xia pleaded.</p><p>Yin-Yu sighed weepy. "I don't know what to think of all these!"</p><p>Po was close to tears. That woman was bushed with everything.</p><p>What would come next?</p><p>Xiang didn't pay more attention to them and made one step forward.</p><p>"Answer my question. Who are you?"</p><p>"Eh…!" Po appeared next to Shen and laid his arm on the lord's shoulder. "We- we… we are the Kung Fu rescue committee." He gave Shen a seeking help look. "Aren't we?"</p><p>The next kick of Shen's foot met the panda's face.</p><p>"Ouch! I might have guessed."</p><p>With pained face, he rubbed his nose.</p><p>"If you want to know who I am," the lord began, his face still filled with spitefulness. "I would prefer to ask your nice wife."</p><p>Xiang stiffened for a short moment.</p><p>"Mm. You know each other?"</p><p>Po's eyes grew wider than usual.</p><p>Xia pressed her mother closer to her chest.</p><p>
  <em>No, you can't do this to her!</em>
</p><p>But the cold smile on Shen's face sent horror over her.</p><p>And he was planning to do it.</p><p>"Indeed, we…"</p><p>"What my workmate wants to say really," Po interrupted quickly. "Is that we are pleased to meet her, <em>today for the first time</em>, to help her to her rescue of this…"</p><p>"Get off me!" Shen shouted at him and pushed him away. "No, she and me, we…mpff!"</p><p>Po covered his mouth and tried to pull the struggling peacock away. The panda chuckled nervously.</p><p>"Oh, and we are going to bring you out of here as fast as we could to… ouch!"</p><p>Po was forced to release the peacock after he had attacked him with his sharp claws. Shen made a big jump to avoid the panda's grasp completely.</p><p>"No, your wife is an…"</p><p>His voice died. Yin-Yu's eyes were wide for a second of fear when the white body of the lord sank down and fell to the ground.</p><p>Po was unable to move and stared at the peacock and then at his fist which had hit the bird on his head. Finally, the panda looked at the prostrated lord ruefully.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry," Po muttered again and again.</p><p>The Dragon Warrior couldn't believe what he had done. Since after their promise of peace in the village, he had never thought he had to do that. But he had done it. Still in disbelieve he stared at the unconscious peacock who lay on the floor now. And before someone or he could say something, loud voices and heavy footstep became hearable and echoed through the hidden corridors.</p><p>Po pricked up his ears.</p><p>"What's that?"</p><p>At this moment Tu jumped on his head.</p><p>"That's the army. But that's impossible. How could they know about the hiding place?"</p><p>The hard-heavy footsteps became louder and filled the air like from a hundred people. When Po thought they would run around the corner every moment he tensed his muscles. But then the sound of footsteps died.</p><p>Po looked up in surprise. "Uh, what happened?"</p><p>He realized how Xia's face became anxious.</p><p>Po swallowed. He felt someone stood behind him. Slowly he turned around and had to look into dark green eyes.</p><p>"Hi, are you the house cleaner?" He tapped his fingers together nervously.</p><p>The ox, who stood in front of him, snorted.</p><p>"Who are you?"</p><p>The panda rubbed his palms together wildly. "Uh, is that standard question here?"</p><p>He winced when more footsteps came closer.</p><p>"Hi people."</p><p>But Po's shy greeting was ignored by the other solider oxen. Step by step they restricted the circle around them more and more.</p><p>Suddenly the green-eyed ox dashed forward and grabbed Xiang on his neck. Then he pressed him against the stone wall and glared into his eyes.</p><p>"Never dare to do this again with me! Understand?!"</p><p>At this moment something pulled on Po's ear. "Ouch, what should that be?"</p><p>But the little cicada didn't explain and pointed to the right side.</p><p>"On count of three."</p><p>Po didn't understand. "Uh, what?"</p><p>"Just run against the wall, get it?"</p><p>"I- I should do what?"</p><p>In Po's head everything twisted around. His eyes stuck on the ox and Xiang, who still stood on the wall. Suddenly the panda winced. The ox had stopped to shout at him. Instead, they exchanged hissing quiet words.</p><p>"Now!"</p><p>Po hadn't listened to Tu's countdown. But he did. Without thinking, he ran ahead.</p><p>"But there's a wall…"</p><p>"Ram it!"</p><p>Po's feet were like pudding. He lost every feeling in his body. Expecting the pain, he ran at the wall without stop. But when he thought he will get headaches every moment the wall gave in and with a strong swung, Po fell forward and landed with a slam on the ground. Behind him a loud rumbling. The moving wall closed and all other sounds died. Still like paralyzed, he sat up and looked around. There was almost pure darkness. Just a very, very dim light shined through another rocky corridor.</p><p>"W-what was that?"</p><p>At this moment Tu appeared on his nose.</p><p>"Mere precaution from the builder of this hiding way. Just in case if enemies discover it."</p><p>"Very smart," Po muttered and stood up.</p><p>"But what if they open the wall too?"</p><p>"Don't worry. It's blocked. You can only release the blockade here."</p><p>"Also a precaution?"</p><p>"Bingo."</p><p>Po followed the dim light with his eyes.</p><p>"Where does the way guide?"</p><p>"To the river."</p><p>"River?"</p><p>"Indeed. A river flows under the castle. The source is coming from underground and leaves in a waterfall."</p><p>"And you think we can leave the castle this way?"</p><p>The cicada shook its head.</p><p>"No chance. Not at this time of year. The water is icy like nothing and cliffs to all sides for a long way. You will have no chance to leave it."</p><p>"And now?"</p><p>"In the darkness is a second way, which guides us to a smaller way upwards. But you have to suck in your stomach."</p><p>"Ha, ha, very funny," Po said sarcastically.</p><p>He was ready to take this way when new footsteps were hearable from far away.</p><p>"Come faster," a deep voice said. "We've already wasted time enough."</p><p>"Who's that?"</p><p>"It comes from the river," Tu said. "From this corridor, you can arrive in the old way, but the entrance of this corridor is high and hidden in the near of the river."</p><p>"Alright."</p><p>"Hey, where are you going?" Tu asked with surprise when Po followed the way to the river.</p><p>"I have to take a look."</p><p>"No, wait, wait, wait…"</p><p>But the panda didn't listen to him and walked down the way until he reached a hole in a rock face where he had an overview in a big cave-looking hall. The hole was in an edge of the rock face where nobody could see him. Downwards he could see a big river which flew with foaming water in a deeper riverbed.</p><p>Suddenly two big figures appeared and walked closer to the sheer rock walls of the river. Now he realized the big ox and another ox. And his eyes became bigger when he saw a familiar figure in the ox's hands.</p><p>"Why do we have to bring him here? Shouldn't we bring him to King Wang?" the second ox asked and threw the white peacock on the floor. Shen moaned weakly. He was still half unconscious.</p><p>"Because the plan has changed," the green-eyed ox said and threw some ropes on the floor next to the peacock. "We have to wait for another opportunity. He will give us the signal."</p><p>"But why do we have to bring him here?" the second ox continued his question.</p><p>The first bigger ox snorted with impatience. "He doesn't need him for his plan. Just do it. But tie him tight."</p><p>The second ox snorted and started his bondage work.</p><p>First, he bound together the lord's wings on his back, then another rope around his body and feet.</p><p>"Hurry up," the first ox said. "We don't have all day."</p><p>"Yes, yes," the soldier grunted and corded the ropes brutally.</p><p>This painful process let Shen open his eyes. He was still dazed.</p><p>"What…?"</p><p>Shen didn't know what had happened, but the current situation wasn't comfortable for him. He tried to move, but he had no chance to move an inch.</p><p>Finally, he became a clear mind in one second to another.</p><p>"Hey, let me free!"</p><p>"Shut up!" the first ox growled at him.</p><p>"What does it mean?! You have no right…"</p><p>The second ox pressed his hand on his beak. Then he grabbed him brutally and lifted him up. The white bird struggled like crazy.</p><p>"Should I gag him?" the second ox asked. He had effort to hold the lord tight.</p><p>"Why this?" The green-eye ox shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "Nobody can hear him. By the way, we can't risk that he dies of thirst. We aren't monsters, are we?"</p><p>Shen breathed heavily. His head was still aching and couldn't understand how he came here.</p><p>"Come on, make it short."</p><p>With that the ox waved his hand. The soldier went closer to the riverbed where the floods of the water rampaged. With wide eyes the lord stared at the icy wild water. Despite the shackles he struggled. But the ox showed no mercy and threw him through the air. Shen felt how the gravity pulled him down very deep and fast. He broke through the water surface and disappeared. Po, who still remained in his hiding place, had watched everything in disbelieve. The two ox soldiers didn't care about the lord's destiny and left the place. Shortly after they were out of the panda's view, he jumped up and slithered down the rock wall.</p><p>"Hey, what are you doing?"</p><p>But the panda ignored Tu's words and stopped next to the riverbed.</p><p>"Do me a favor and keep an eye to the others, alright."</p><p>The cicada didn't understand. "Sure, but what about…"</p><p>He had no chance to finish his sentence. Po took a run-up and jumped in the water.</p><p>The cold water cut his fur like icy knives. First, he had difficulty to keep his face over the water surface. The flux carried him away and suddenly he fell into empty space.</p><p>It must be the waterfall.</p><p>At least he wasn't very high. Like on icicles he landed with a smack in the next water pool and was pulled away again. Po's lungs ached. He really had to fight against the water force. At last, he could hold his face over the water and tried to get an overview. But around him just white water and water.</p><p>How should he find him?</p><p>Suddenly he winced. The strong floods had pressed the white peacock against a rock in the water and kept him there. Po made several strong rowing motions and with one grasp, he felt feathers under his fingers. He wrapped his cold fingers around the bird and fixed themselves on the rock. Po shuddered under his fur, but it kept him warm enough to stand it for a while. But for Shen… He felt how the bird trembled in the cold river water.</p><p>"Shen! Stay awake! You mustn't fall asleep! Stay awake."</p><p>Shen blinked.</p><p>"Y-you dared… you did…"</p><p>The peacock stuttered.</p><p>"I did what?"</p><p>"You threatened me. Now you can bring it to an end."</p><p>"Shen! I thought we had talked about it often enough. I didn't threaten you. It was just an emergency."</p><p>But the peacock didn't seem to hear him. Instead he muttered words with half open eyes.</p><p>"It's… it's snowing."</p><p>The panda looked up. Indeed, snowflakes danced around their heads.</p><p>"Uh, yes, yes, it's snowing."</p><p>The lord closed his eyes. A weak smile played on his lips.</p><p>"W-what i-irony. I will die - in the snow – l-like I killed your v-village." His voice was shaking. "T-that closes t-the circle."</p><p>Po watched the white lord thoughtfully. Was he hallucinating?</p><p>"Mm, Shen?"</p><p>But the peacock's lips just trembled, like the rest of his body.</p><p>"Alright," Po muttered. "Don't worry, I will keep you warm."</p><p>With that, he rubbed his hand over the bird's neck and chest, while he was holding on the rock with the other hand. But the panda knew, he couldn't do this for the rest of his life. They had to escape from that cold water. His glance wandered upwards.</p><p>The river walls were very steepish. Impossible to climb up without climbing facilities. Especially with an immovable person in one's arms. Po looked ahead, but also the rest of the river way was the same. No chance to leave the floods. They could only swim down the river in hope to find a place to come out, but who knew how long they would survive in the cold water.</p><p>Sad and discouraged Po petted over Shen's head. "Shen. Keep awake, keep awake."</p><p>But the bird was too overpowered from the frozen coldness. He blinked heavily and closed his eyes finally.</p><p>"No, keep awake!"</p><p>With shaking hands, he took him closer and tried to keep him warm with his fur.</p><p>"No, you didn't mean it. We all had just a black day… just a black day."</p><p>Po winced. His feet had slipped off the rock almost.</p><p>With effort, he pulled up themselves of the water and leaned against the icy rock.</p><p>Why, why…</p><p>He closed his eyes. Snowflakes touched his cold nose. He had to think about the snow at home. It was always a beautiful picture and a fun to play in the snow and to catch the snowflakes with his tongue. It was so funny. So funny…</p><p>The coldness on the tip of his nose became stronger and tickled. It tickled. Tickled?</p><p>He blinked.</p><p>"What…?"</p><p>Po thought the coldness played a prank with him. Carefully he reached out his hand.</p><p>No, it wasn't a dream. It was reality. There was really a dangling rope over his head and the end of the cord had touched his nose.</p><p>But who could it be?</p><p>"He-hello?" he stuttered.</p><p>But nobody gave an answer.</p><p>With doubt Po watched the rescuing cord.</p><p>Should he grab it or was that a trap?</p><p>He looked down at Shen, who gave no sound anymore. His force faded away with every minute.</p><p>Finally, the panda sighed. They had no other choice, either they freeze in water or it will happen whatever.</p><p>With last force he jumped up and grabbed the hanging rope. First, he bound it around Shen's body, then he pulled several times on it and the rope was pulled up by someone. Po released Shen and watched how he raised to the sky. The panada followed him with his eyes until he disappeared over the cliff edge of the riverside.</p><p>Now he had to wait and hope.</p><p>For a while there was silence.</p><p>Had it been a trap?</p><p>Po's heart made a big jump when the rope came back down to him. With joy, he took it and was pulled up, too. Whatever he had to expect at the top of the cliff, it was just better than to stick in cold water. At least he hoped.</p><p>At last, he had reached the end. He swung his hands over the edge and looked ahead.</p><p>"What...?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Heat and coldness</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"PO!"</p><p>Po couldn't believe when Mr. Ping's warm wings wrapped his upper body.</p><p>"Dad?" Po was more than perplex. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>"An inner voice called me here," Mr. Ping explained. "And a flying messenger."</p><p>"But where did you get the force to pull me up?"</p><p>Mr. Ping smirked. "Well, with a little help."</p><p>Po looked behind him. A big figure with long hair in his face was bending down and was busy to release Shen from his shackles.</p><p>"Who's that?" Po asked.</p><p>"My household help."</p><p>"That's your household help?"</p><p>He eyed the big yack who was standing up now.</p><p>"For a limited time," he said a little grimly. "My wife caught a cold."</p><p>"But what have you done in the river?" Mr. Ping asked worried.</p><p>"That's a long story, but he needs a warm up immediately."</p><p>He pointed at Shen, who lay in the snow and trembled gently. Now Po felt a shiver under his fur and wrapped his arms around himself. "And for me."</p><hr/><p>"Like daughter like the father," Mr. Ping said with a gentle smile while he watched how a sheep handed a warm towel to soothsayer.</p><p>The goat smiled. "Indeed. Like his family."</p><p>Gently she put the warm towel on Shen's head who lay in a bed with thick blankets. When the warming cloth touched his feathers, he trembled stronger. His beak didn't come to a break of shaking. The goat put the blanket higher until it covered the whole long neck of the bird.</p><p>His feet lay free where a sheep was busy to rub warm his cold feet. Since they had left the water, the lord didn't open his eyes yet. He just mumbled he felt cold.</p><p>Po sat not far away on a little bench, also wrapped with blankets and his feet in a bowl with hot water. In the meantime, he had told his father everything. Mr. Ping was very impressed.</p><p>"Unbelievable," Mr. Ping muttered. "I think it was a big surprise for him to know that he has a family."</p><p>Po nodded with sad expression on his face. "You can't imagine."</p><p>"Oh, don't give up hope, Po." Mr. Ping touched his face. "You are just hungry. I will take a look into the kitchen. Maybe Yuan is ready with the soup."</p><p>After Mr. Ping had left the room, Po leaned forward to soothsayer.</p><p>"Did you send him the message?"</p><p>The goat leaned her head to one side to another. "Shortly after we left the city. I thought it would be the best to bring him here."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>She wrung out another towel thoughtfully while she spoke. "I thought he should see someone in his near who already knows the father role."</p><p>Po became silent for a moment. Then he winced up and looked to the sheep.</p><p>"How is he?"</p><p>The sheep shook its head.</p><p>"Still unchanged."</p><p>Po let hang his ears.</p><p>At this moment Mr. Ping came back with a bowl of soup in his hands and held it against his son.</p><p>Po took it thankfully. "Thanks dad."</p><p>They embraced.</p><p>Both looked up when they hear a loud sigh.</p><p>Shen was moving in the bed and his trembling movements were sent in waves through his body. Finally, he blinked and looked into the familiar face of the soothsayer.</p><p>He sighed deeply.</p><p>"Who else?" he muttered.</p><p>The goat smiled. "You give me one worry after another."</p><p>The peacock wiped over his head. "As long as I don't have to see you next to my death-bed."</p><p>"Don't talk about that."</p><p>"But I…"</p><p>Suddenly Shen seemed to remember of everything again at one go.</p><p>He sat up like lightning and his eyes met the panda.</p><p>Po smiled shyly and waved his hand. "Hi."</p><p>The peacock answered just with growling narrowed eyes.</p><p>Suddenly someone other appeared in his visual field.</p><p>"Hello, welcome, good to see you again. A little service with my very best recommendations."</p><p>The lord looked surprised. But when his eyes fell on the soup, he forgot to say "hello". He grabbed it and swallowed it down.</p><p>But Mr. Ping wasn't angry about it. That someone preferred his soup was still a compliment for him. Shen drunk everything out. Then he put it down, Mr. Ping took the bowl immediately before it fell down. But Shen didn't care. He closed his eyes, leaned back on the pillow and breathed heavily.</p><p>Meanwhile, the goat had taken the towel which had fallen down and put it back on his head.</p><p>But in the next moment the peacock sat up in bed again.</p><p>Po tried to ignore his fury on his face and sipped his soup.</p><p>Shen took a deep breath.</p><p>"Would you excuse us? All of you!"</p><p>All people around winced. The lord sounded more than angry. One by one left the room and Po was the last one. Quickly the panda stood up and climbed out of the water bowl.</p><p>"Uh, I think I forgot something outside."</p><p>With wet feet, he went over the floor to the door.</p><p>"Panda!"</p><p>He froze.</p><p>"I said "us"."</p><p>Po swallowed heavily.</p><p>Carefully, he turned around and looked at the lord who was still sitting in the bed. His eyes had filled over with hate and disappointment.</p><p>The soup had warmed him, but hadn't washed away the ugly feeling in his stomach.</p><p>"Hey!" Po tried to laugh. "Nice to see you, dear, that has been a trip. We should – not – repeat that water rafting, right?"</p><p>He ducked his head. The wings of the lord dug into the blanket and trembled, but not because of coldness but of anger. Then his shaking hand wandered to the back of his head.</p><p>"You promised never to harm me," he hissed.</p><p>Po pressed his lips together and wagged with his arms.</p><p>"You forced me to do so!"</p><p>"We had a deal," Shen retorted shortly.</p><p>"It was self-defense."</p><p>"You hit me."</p><p>"You would have made it ever worse for her. Do you know what had happened if you had said, that you and her… you know what I mean."</p><p>The lord's heavy breath became louder. "I wanted to destroy her!"</p><p>"Don't you think she suffered enough?"</p><p>Shen's wings cramped. His face directed at them.</p><p>"It wouldn't be enough in one million years. Not for me."</p><p>Silence fell. Just the breathing of Shen was hearable in the room.</p><p>Po cleaned his throat before he spoke. "Oh, come on, don't act like a prima donna."</p><p>His eyes became bigger. Shen moved and lifted his head very slowly and directed his eyes on him.</p><p>"I shouldn't be angry with her?" A dark wave of bitterness overcame him. "She humiliated me!"</p><p>Po was ready to run out of the room, but he collected his courage and stayed.</p><p>"Tell me exactly why," he asked.</p><p>Shen snorted. "That's my affair."</p><p>"You talked about a letter," Po continued. "What was that for a letter? What was the content?"</p><p>"Nothing for your ears!"</p><p>"Tell me. Maybe I will understand it."</p><p>Shen constricted his eyes. "Only over my dead body."</p><p>"But about the dead bodies of others, right?"</p><p>Shen hissed darkly.</p><p>"Maybe because of your blow, I will have an amnesia and forget what we agreed in your damn primitive village."</p><p>"Oh, don't come me with that."</p><p>Suddenly somebody knocked against the door.</p><p>"What?!" Shen cried.</p><p>The door was opened and a little sheep looked through it.</p><p>"Excuse me, there is a woman. She said she has to say something important."</p><p>Peacock and panda exchanged glances. Who could it be?</p><p>The door was opened completely and a in long coat covered person walked in. When the one entered the room, he removed the hood and a face of a gray female fox appeared.</p><p>Both stared at the vixen.</p><p>"Uh, who are you?" Po began before Shen could ask.</p><p>The vixen put her hands together and bowed. "My name is Xinxin. I'm the maidservant of Yin-Yu. I've been standing in service to her for a long time. I left our attacked city when I heard that Xia was seen here. In the company of a white peacock."</p><p>Po pointed at Shen. "You know him?"</p><p>"Yin-Yu told me," she replied.</p><p>"Must have been a funny woman gossip," Shen hissed bitterly.</p><p>The vixen's eyes focused him calmly.</p><p>"You're really beautiful like she described you."</p><p>"That's a bare derision!" Shen cried. "How many times does she want to mortify me more?!"</p><p>The fox woman lowered her glance. "She admitted me often that she didn't many things right."</p><p>"Is that all?!"</p><p>Po walked a few steps back. Shen was at a point of a new rampage.</p><p>"My lord," Xinxin started over. "I can imagine how you must feel, but be sure, things were different from you think."</p><p>"Different?!"</p><p>With one jump the white peacock left the bed and landed with a loud crash on the wooden floor in front of her.</p><p>"She told me a wrong name!"</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"She left me silently."</p><p>"True that. She didn't want that the palace soldiers discover you."</p><p>"No excuse for that she has done to me. She only used me for her pleasure!"</p><p>"No, my lord."</p><p>"You malicious woman of falsehood!" he shouted. "You're so steeped in mendacity. I curse the day of my birth! But more the birth of her!"</p><p>The vixen sighed gently. "You've got a letter many years ago, didn't you?"</p><p>The lord gasped for air. "Your equanimity proves you aren't better than her."</p><p>Po thought he would hit her, but instead… Po winced. Tears filled the white bird's eyes.</p><p>He turned away from her, covered with one wing his face and sighed a convulsive sobbing.</p><p>All his hate and anger released him what he had dammed through all the years.</p><p>Carefully Xinxin stepped up to him. "Do you still have the letter?"</p><p>Shen winced at that question with a loud sigh.</p><p>"I burned it!" he hissed. "But I still remember every ideograph what she had written with her poisoned feathers."</p><p>Still turning his back on her, he lifted his head slowly. He wiped over his cheeks and stared at the wall.</p><p>"From that day on, I wanted to kill her."</p><p>He swung around. In his wing a knife feather. "And all the others of her!"</p><p>But before the lord could throw the knife, something fell on him and pressed him to the ground.</p><p>"Get off!"</p><p>But the panda who had thrown himself on him, didn't move. Shen tried to stand up, but he couldn't more do than to stay laying on his belly.</p><p>"I will keep sitting on you, until you are ready to listen," Po said firmly.</p><p>"There is no reason for that!" Shen cried and gave up the fight. "Why can't you stop torturing me?"</p><p>In the blink of an eye, he lost all his force.</p><p>"Why?" Po heard him muttering. "Why for what?"</p><p>Xinxin came closer and kneeled down. Her face filled with pity. "How painful was it?"</p><p>The lord glared at her, defeated in his suffer.</p><p>"How painful could it be more if you get a letter where you read that she hates you?"</p><p>Po raised his eyebrows. "Did she write that?"</p><p>"Much worse!" Again Shen's eyes became wet. "She was ashamed that she lost her virginity for me!"</p><p>Po couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I can't imagine… that she would write..."</p><p>"Who slept with her? You or I?!"</p><p>Po rubbed his head nervously. Shen didn't mince matters. Po could guess only how much Shen must have loved her.</p><p>"She, she…" The lord swallowed before he spoke on. "She also wrote me whether I would be impotent. – You heard nothing!"</p><p>Po winced when Shen pointed so threateningly at him.</p><p>"Yes, yes… no, no, of course I heard nothing." And covered his ears.</p><p>"And that she found someone who satisfies her expectations better than me. I hadn't been good enough for her. I should go somewhere else."</p><p>He sighed heavily.</p><p>"After I read it, I threw and broke chairs and tables. Over one year, my soldiers searched for her. But they never found her."</p><p>He sighed deeply and took a strong breath.</p><p>"And I've never stopped hating her. I swore, she should never get the chance to hurt me again."</p><p>He closed his eyes and lay powerless on the floor under the panda.</p><p>"I've wrapped my soul with metal like my weapons," he muttered weakly. His voice was hardly hearable. His feather fingers dug into the wood floor.</p><p>The fox woman had listened to him without a move on her face. Finally, she stroked her hair and tapped her fingertips together very, very calmly and thoughtfully.</p><p>"But you have to know something. That's the reason why I came here."</p><p>With that, she walked to the little bench, wiped several times with her fox tail over it and sat down.</p><p>Po meanwhile deemed it best to climb down from Shen, who stayed lying down on the floor.</p><p>"Listen, my lord," she began and bent forward. "The letter what you've read – Yin-Yu never wrote this letter."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. The false letter and old memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter includes some intimate words and a little erotic.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Po rubbed his ear, just to be sure that he had heard right. But it seemed that Xinxin told what he had heard. Confused, he stared around and watched how Shen stood up abruptly. His tears had gone, his anger had stayed. He made a hard step up to her.</p><p>"That's impossible," he retorted bitterly. "Nobody beside us knew about us."</p><p>"And beside of me," Xinxin added. "Despite she told me everything after she realized that she has pregnant. But shortly after another person knew about her situation. A black day for her."</p><p>Shen hissed. "Put your lies somewhere else…"</p><p>"Shen!" Po admonished. "Listen."</p><p>The panda put his palms together. "Please."</p><p>The peacock turned around. He didn't want to look in her face.</p><p>Xinxin didn't mind and began.</p><p>"After she came back home, she was silent the most time. It wasn't new for me. I know her since she was a child. But a few days later, she became nervous and very troubled. She asked me to examine her. I had been a midwife before I became a servant. And we found out, she was pregnant."</p><p>She made a pause. Shen meanwhile still didn't look at her.</p><p>"What was her reaction?" Po asked curiously.</p><p>The vixen continued calmly.</p><p>"Well, first, she was happy, but in the same moment, she had shocked."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Her parents didn't know about all. She never told them what happened in the mountains."</p><p>"Again a lie," Shen's voice muttered darkly. "She claimed her parents had died."</p><p>Xinxin sighed.</p><p>"For her, they died a long time ago. They didn't exist for her anymore. They never accepted her as their daughter."</p><p>Po rubbed his head. "Why?"</p><p>"Because she is a girl."</p><p>Po made big eyes. "Only for that reason?"</p><p>"They had wished a boy, but instead they've got a girl. She never wanted to do the same with her child. But she panicked. "Who will take care for my child?" she asked herself repeatedly. She was sure, if her parents knew about it, it would be the end of all. By this time, she didn't know that it would be two children. After a while she came to the resolution to write you a letter."</p><p>At this moment the peacock turned around.</p><p>The female fox stepped backwards and raised her hands when the wrathful eyes met her.</p><p>Po tensed his muscles. Just to be ready for a fight. But Shen held back his blaze of anger.</p><p>"Believe me, my lord," Xinxin said. "She needed several tries to write a letter start. I stood next to her. She cried while she wrote. But before she could finish it, her mother came in without warning. She used to control her whenever she wanted. But this moment couldn't have been worse like this moment. She snatched the letter from her. I thought my heart would stop, knowing vaguely what she wanted to write. I was forced to leave the room, but I will never forget how angry she had been. I remember like it was yesterday."</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Over 10 years ago...</strong>
</p><p>"<em>Give me the letter back!"</em></p><p>
  <em>But her mother held it up and avoided that the young peahen could reach it.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You will never meet him again!" Her mother shouted. "Shame on you! Messing around with some fellow who just happened along and slanders your future husband?! I'm ashamed to call you my daughter! You are a disappointment to your family! And that brat, I will take care that nobody will know about it."</em></p><p>
  <em>The young peahen crossed her wings over her body.</em>
</p><p>"<em>That's my child! I will never take it away!"</em></p><p>"<em>Don't you know what will happen if it comes out, that you have bastards from an unmarried lover?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The girl kept silent, while her mother walked back and forth.</em>
</p><p>"<em>No one will hear about your illegitimate child. It will happen before it hatches. It will be painless. Don't worry. It will feel nothing. You will be safe, and we avoid that it wastes the place on earth."</em></p><p>
  <em>Yin-Yu couldn't believe what her mother said. "Y-you can't do this."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Interspecific hybrids have no place in the royal line!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl gasped for air. She turned around and covered her face with her wings.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her mother came closer. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Daughter, I only want the best for you. Think about what could happen if someone knows that you wear monstrosities in you from another man. You know what you have to expect. I only want to protect you from the death penalty. Better them than you."</em></p><p>
  <em>The young girl had no force to stay on her feet. She sank to the ground, her trembling wings had effort to keep her up. But her mother showed no sympathy and crumpled up the letter in her hands.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You will travel to Xiang today," she said icily and turned around. "Take care that he doesn't get to know about that. And if the time has come, I will take care for the rest."</em></p><p>
  <em>With that, she threw the letter into a flame-filled fire bowl.</em>
</p><hr/><p>"I've never heard someone so long cry like that day," Xinxin told. "She left her home city on the same day. We had to carry her into the carriage. I traveled with her."</p><p>She stood up from the bench. "But before we left the city, I saw how her mother wrote another letter and sent it away to an anonymous messenger. As I see it, this letter had reached you… unfortunately."</p><p>She eyed the lord, but he didn't move a muscle in his face.</p><p>The female sighed again.</p><p>"The next day she married him."</p><p>She lowered her glance. But Shen was still not satisfied.</p><p>Po tried to distract him.</p><p>"But if her mother knew about that she was pregnant, how could she keep them alive?"</p><p>The vixen pressed her palms together.</p><p>"Well, her mother… she died in unexplainable circumstances."</p><p>Now both of her listeners stared at her, but Po was the only one who said something.</p><p>"In unexplainable circumstances? Did she…?"</p><p>"I say nothing," Xinxin interrupted. "And I saw nothing. She only died, when she visited her daughter. Maybe a heart attack."</p><p>She spoke it so slowly that everybody could hear that she didn't die a natural death.</p><p>"After she had drunk something."</p><p>Po looked at Shen. The bird gave only a snorting sound of disgust, but now he started to ask a question.</p><p>"And how do you want to know that they aren't from Xiang?" His voice was dark, but calmer than before. "I could imagine he wanted to connect with her after the wedding, didn't he?"</p><p>Xinxin nodded sadly. "She was already pregnant. And yes, he did. But she never felt happy with him. After the wedding, he forced her what he wanted. She said that he had raped her more than to love her. It was a luck for her enough that she told him after that immediately that she was pregnant. He should believe it was because of him."</p><p>She walked slowly up and down. "After she had laid the eggs, he harassed her again."</p><p>Shen narrowed his eyes. "How did it come that she has no more children?"</p><p>The female fox stopped and gasped for air silently.</p><p>"She asked for an old woman who gave her a remedy that made her barren for a while. She didn't want to have children from him. Never. At least it worked. She never became pregnant with that."</p><p>She silenced for a while.</p><p>"After more children stayed away, he declared her worthless. After that, he never had sex with her again. Forgive me my word choice."</p><p>She bowed in an apologizing way.</p><p>"That's okay," Po said.</p><p>Xinxin's eyes wandered back to Shen.</p><p>"But she could never forget you. All the more she broke inside when she heard about your death."</p><p>Po remembered what Xia had told him.</p><p>"I would imagine our conversation is over now."</p><p>The panda watched how Shen swung his long robe and pointed at the door.</p><p>"Door is open."</p><p>"Wait," Xinxin pleaded. "Before you send me away, I want to give you something."</p><p>She reached under her coat and held a rolled paper out to Shen.</p><p>"This is the right letter. I was unable to bring myself to destroy it. I never read such a kind of text. Forgive me that I took a look at it, but I didn't know what she had written so private."</p><p>The peacock eyed the paper skeptically. "I thought her mother burned it."</p><p>"She threw the letter into the fire, but it deflected off the flames and landed beside it. She hadn't cared more about it. She was too deep in her rage to see it. But I had seen it."</p><p>She waved it in his direction. He was unwilling to reach for it. When he still refused, she put it on a table.</p><p>Then she put her hands together under her coat and turned to the door.</p><p>"It's your decision."</p><p>With that, she opened the door and left them.</p><p>Po didn't know what he should do and tapped his fingers together.</p><p>"Mm, well, I think, I think you want to be alone now, don't you?"</p><p>Shen didn't reply. He only stared at the paper which lay untouched on the table.</p><p>Po didn't ask more and left the room, too.</p><p>Outside Shen could hear how Po ran behind Xinxin and asked her what the letter said.</p><p>Then there was silence.</p><p>His eyes stuck on the letter, remembering the ugly feeling after he had opened the first letter.</p><p>Suddenly he grabbed it and wanted to rip it, but he hesitated in the last second.</p><p>He closed his eyes; his wings pressed the paper tight.</p><p>How worse could it get more?</p><p>He stayed in this position over two minutes. Then he loosened his wings and opened them.</p><p>The paper was a little burned, but entire. He took a deep breath before he reeled it off and started to read:</p><p>"<em>Shen – I find no words to start this letter and it hurt me more that you obtain my first letter in this occasion. I'm so ashamed of my doings. I did so many things wrong to you. Most of all I regret that I left you without a word. I was just a fool; you did nothing wrong. I'm the one who should blame for all. Are you angry with me now? You are right. I wasn't honest with you in some points. I hate myself for that, but I have to confess you something. </em></p><p>
  <em>My real name isn't Fang. I have given up my name. I thought I had a chance to escape from my past. But now I see, it has been impossible.</em>
</p><p><em>The truth is, I'm from Jingang City. Maybe the city is a household name for you and I'm the daughter of the ruling parents. My name is Yin-Yu. But it had no meaning for me anymore. Despite all the money and gold, I was just a nobody for all. Either I wanted to end my days or to run away. I was promised to a man who I don't love and is glancing down at me despisingly that I could break under it. I was so in hope to find a new life after escaping from my city. I had hoped they would never find me, but they did. It would break my heart of the imagination that they could discover you. I thought it would be the best to</em> <em>sacrifice my freedom to spare you. Forgive me, but I was too afraid. I'm not worth it that you waste your life to me. I had wished to see your glory. I believe you will be a strong ruler. But it's the best not with me. I'm too weak. Without you, I'm a shadow of my former self which is afraid of its own shadow. You are the strongest one in the world. After I met you, you gave me new life. It was more what you gave to me - your warmness, your abandon, your love. The universe was blest when it created you. You are sheer like the snow. And who am I? Someone who can't see her own colors? All I want to say is… my desire of forgiveness for what I have done. I can't ask for more than this and I would say it would be the best that I give up myself and punish myself for what I have done. But you have to know, you will become a father. I'm so scared to write that. It's hard for me to move the pen…"</em></p><p>At this place the Chinese ideograph had blurred as if a water drop had fallen on it.</p><p>"<em>I'm afraid for my child. Our child. It brings me back the time in our night. It was the best time in my life. I'm missing you so much. I'm always looking for you, thinking you are in my near. I feel you by my side like the last few days you were. I've never met someone like you. I was dead inside; but you gave me new life. I was nothing before I met you. But I really wish I could see how you carry our baby in your arms."</em></p><p>A thick stroke crossed the rest of the line. The pen had almost cut the paper. For the next clause she had overcome herself to write in a normal text, but her handwriting was shaky and speed-written.</p><p>"<em>Get me out of here! I want to start a new life - with you. I want to live with you like I promised you in our night. Please take me out of here. I can't stand it alone. I made a mistake… Call me a fool, but it will change nothing for what I feel for you. I will never look for another man, will be faithful to you. But if you think I'm not worth for you, then punish me at least. I would rather be a prisoner of you than to marry another man. But maybe I don't deserve someone like you. You've got the inner fortitude what I don't have. Even not a firestorm could break you down. But if it's your will to not deign a look at me, then take of our child at least. It will make you happier than I can do. I'm too weak…"</em></p><p>At this point the letter ended. Maybe it had been the point where her mother took away the paper.</p><p>Around Shen everything was quiet. So quiet. Slowly he walked to the window. Snow was falling. Cold snow.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Over 10 years ago… before the letter</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>He came back. She looked up. For many hours she stood in his private rooms, only waiting for him. Finally, he opened the door. He wore two robes. Snowflakes hanged on his feathers and fluttered down to the wood floor. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She winced. He was limping. </em>
</p><p>"<em>What happened to you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He threw the first robe away.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Nothing."</em></p><p>
  <em>Her eyes wandered down to his legs. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Is that a burn wound?"</em></p><p>"<em>I just tried out something new."</em></p><p>"<em>You cut yourself?"</em></p><p>"<em>I only tried to wear my new creation."</em></p><p>"<em>What new creation?"</em></p><p>"<em>Metal claws. And I have to admit, they are sharp. But I will learn to walk with them without to cut myself."</em></p><p>"<em>If they are so sharp, why do you wear them?"</em></p><p>"<em>For my protection."</em></p><p>"<em>But you hurt yourself."</em></p><p>"<em>I don't mind. The main point is that my project works."</em></p><p>
  <em>She looked at him apprehensively. "Should I clean it?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His retort let her wince. "I can still care for myself."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She ducked her head apologetically. "But is there nothing what I can do for you?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>You only have to stay still and don't ask me questions."</em></p><p>
  <em>She kept silent. He didn't want to talk about it anymore and walked away.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I will take a warm bath now."</em></p><p>
  <em>With that, he disappeared into a side room. </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>After over a half hour, the door was opened again. She had stayed where he had left her. Now he stood in the door frame. She watched him. He wore a new robe. His feathers looked fluffier than before. He stroked over his head with a small towel and came in. </em>
</p><p>"<em>You can take a bath now, too."</em></p><p>
  <em>She looked at him with surprise. "Me?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He rolled his eyes. "How long have you been living here? If you want to live with me, I can expect that you have a wash sometime." </em>
</p><p>
  <em>After a while she nodded. "Alright."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly she passed him. </em>
</p><p>"<em>And take this."</em></p><p>
  <em>She eyed what he held out to her. It was a white robe with dark embroideries.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She stroked over her brown robe.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I demand it," he ordered.</em></p><p>
  <em>Carefully, she took it. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Uh, thanks."</em></p><p>
  <em>Shyly she pointed at the swatch.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What's the color?"</em></p><p>"<em>Silver-white and blue stitchery."</em></p><p>"<em>Blue," she repeated thoughtfully. "Is that the color what has the same as the sky you showed me? It's a cold color, isn't it?"</em></p><p>
  <em>But Shen didn't reply to it. "I just don't need it anymore. You can wear it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peahen wanted to ask more, but his eyes ordered her to keep silent now. She nodded slowly, then she turned around but before she closed the door, he said something after her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>New water is inside."</em></p><p>
  <em>She paused with surprise. How did he know that she would accept a bath?</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Never before she had enjoyed a bath like on that day. No servants, nobody in near. No other persons who said when she should leave it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The bathroom wasn't the noblest one, but had all kinds of comfort. A big wooden bathtub, which was a piece of custom work, towels, and a big mirror.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After she thought she had enough, she climbed out of the bath and took a big towel, which hang next to it. She rubbed her feathers dry as well as she could and wrapped it around her body. Then she walked to the big mirror which ranged almost from the ceiling to the ground so that she could see herself from head to feet. Her glance fell on the silver-blue robe. Blue had been the only color where Shen still didn't find an example to explain it to her. He had just told her, it's cold, but not so cold like snow. A cold color which should warm her up. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a gentle smile she took it.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Shen hissed. He sat on pillows in front of a fire and was cleaning the wounds on his feet. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The burn and cut wound were just few inches apart on the same foot. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The metal claws had been really sharp. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He dipped a little towel into a liquid filled bowl and spread it on the sore points.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Damn, it burned.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After that, he wrapped a bandage around his leg. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had almost finished when the door of the bathroom opened. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He looked up. His eyes stuck on her. Maybe it was because of a better-looking robe than the old brown one. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She stroked over her feather hair shyly and looked down on her new-old robe. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Doesn't it bleach me out?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He shook his head slowly. </em>
</p><p>"<em>No, I like that,… um… Take a seat."</em></p><p>
  <em>She walked over to him and bowed respectfully before she took place on a pillow in front of the fire so that she sat on his right site. Carefully, she stretched out her feet, which were still wet from the bath water.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shen didn't take care of his wounded foot anymore and stared into the flames. Her eyes wandered to his bandaged leg. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Does it hurt?"</em></p><p>"<em>Not anymore."</em></p><p>
  <em>Again silence what lay heavy on her soul.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What makes your work?" she tried a new start.</em></p><p>
  <em>His eyes moved higher, still staring at the fire. "I will need a lot of metal."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Can't you buy it?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He shook his head. "My parents cut my funds. I'm just nothing for them."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She watched him. "Did they hit you?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Much worse."</em></p><p>
  <em>He silenced again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She swallowed quietly before she dared to move her lips.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What have they done to you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>His eyes scared her when he directed them at her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>They banished me from my own home."</em></p><p>
  <em>She rubbed her hands nervously.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why should they banish you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He hesitated with his answer and lowered his glance. "I…. I had to… kill."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When he saw her eyes became bigger, he added quickly: "They wanted to threaten me. I eliminated them before they could do the same to me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her afraid expression changed to anxious surprised.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why should they threaten you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He lifted his face and narrowed his eyes. "To destroy my dream."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He looked away and stared back into the flames of the fire. "Nobody understood what I wanted. But I will stand up. Everyone should look up to me instead looking down. Everyone should see how strong I am. Despite my color. But they will do one day. And I will take back what they took away from me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A heavy, sad atmosphere surrounded them.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I know that feeling."</em></p><p>
  <em>He looked at her while she continued. </em>
</p><p>"<em>A place without day and to feel like in an inner prison."</em></p><p>
  <em>Shen inclined his head. "Do you have a family?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>N-no, how I said, my parents don't exist anymore, but they had hated me."</em></p><p>"<em>Why should they hate you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She swallowed. "I'm a girl, but my parents wanted a boy."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Oh, that's really… bad."</em></p><p>
  <em>She wrapped the robe closer around herself. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Is it bad?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The peacock didn't understand. "What?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Is it so bad to be a woman?"</em></p><p>"<em>Why should it? You are beautiful ehm…"</em></p><p>
  <em>The peahen sighed deeply and stood up. Shen watched her silently, how she walked a few steps away. </em>
</p><p>"<em>But I want to be more than something beautiful which you can stare at only," she said bitterly. "But I have nothing more than this."</em></p><p>
  <em>The peacock cursed his words and stood up too. He crossed his arms on his back and went over to her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>But you have something special."</em></p><p>
  <em>She gave him a surprised look.</em>
</p><p>"<em>What?"</em></p><p>"<em>That you don't see colors." He let wander his glance through the room. "Colors exist to please our life. That's the reason why my family created the firework."</em></p><p>
  <em>But in the next second his face expression became serious.</em>
</p><p>"<em>But the most time they don't. It classifies us. The world would be a better place if we don't see colors."</em></p><p>
  <em>A touch of worship crossed her face.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Do you really think so?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He narrowed his eyes. "I know it."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a view of admiration to him, she stood stiffly and not knowing what to say. Silently, he stepped up to her. Trapped in their eye contact. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly a loud slam. Cold icy strong wind blew through the room. Both were so frightened that Shen jumped forward, wrapped her arms around her and pulled her away into a corner. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With wide eyes they stared at the window which had flown open. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>When there was no one to be seen, their bodies relaxed. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Just the wind," Shen muttered with relief. </em></p><p>
  <em>He winced when he realized he was petting over her head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Quickly he relinquished his hold on her and ran forward to close the window with effort.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After he had blocked it, he leaned against it. Everyone was hearing the quick breath of the other.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then they chuckled.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Oh dear, I've got a shock," she said and rubbed her neck.</em></p><p>
  <em>Shen stood up. "I think I'm gonna have a word with the window builder."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She smiled and went over to him. "You shouldn't be so hard."</em>
</p><p><em>He cleaned his throat, holding back his</em> <em>graveness.</em></p><p>"<em>Without strength you lose very fast."</em></p><p>
  <em>She sighed and laid her hands on his hands.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You are strong."</em></p><p>"<em>Master Shen!" a loud voice cried. </em></p><p>
  <em>At the same moment the door was opened and a one-eyed wolf looked inside. </em>
</p><p>"<em>I heard a loud crash. Is everything alright?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The peacock avoided her hands and turned to him. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Don't worry, everything is okay. It was just a strong wind."</em></p><p>"<em>We are in a blizzard," the wolf explained. "But we blocked all doors."</em></p><p>"<em>But not the window," Shen muttered to himself.</em></p><p>"<em>Pardon?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The peacock didn't reply. His side-glance fell on the peahen who was shaking away the snow from her robe. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Uh, that's okay. I don't need you tonight anymore."</em></p><p>
  <em>The wolf was a little confused and looked from one to another. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. Well then. Good night."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Good night," both birds said with one voice.</em></p><p>
  <em>She covered her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He smirked secretly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a smile he eyed the glittery snowflakes in her half dry head feathers which started to melt slowly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You've got snow in your feathers," he said and reached out his hand. She didn't move when he rubbed them out. She let it happen. He stopped, staring at her. Slowly he took his hand away from her. Her look was odd. No smile, no sadness, just a blank page.</em></p><p>
  <em>With hesitation, she lifted her hand. </em>
</p><p>"<em>You too."</em></p><p>"<em>Really?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He touched his cheek and felt cold snowflakes.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Yes."</em></p><p>
  <em>He winced when her hand touched his face. His eyes kept on her. When she realized his watching look, she lowered her hands.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I'm sorry."</em></p><p>"<em>No, that's…"</em></p><p>
  <em>He shook his head. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A coldness lay in the room because of the wind, which had blown inside.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I don't think to take a second bath," he muttered. "Are you feeling cold?"</em></p><p>"<em>A little."</em></p><p>
  <em>He waved his head to the right site. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Let's go back."</em></p><p>
  <em>They sat back on the pillows. But when she had taken place, Shen stood up once more and fetched a blanket.</em>
</p><p>"<em>This will warm you up."</em></p><p>
  <em>With these words he wrapped it around her, then he sat next to her and wrapped the other half over himself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shortly after he had closed the blanket, she huddled up against him automatically. She shuddered a little, but soon after he felt how her body relaxed when snug warmth encompassed her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Your bandage shifted."</em></p><p>
  <em>He looked at his foot. Indeed, the towel around his wound had loosened.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Oh."</em></p><p>
  <em>He bent down, but before his wing touched the leg, another hand crossed his path.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His sharp eyes admonished her activity, but this time her glance was firm. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Please, let me fix it."</em></p><p>
  <em>His intention to push her hands away became weaker. Finally, he let her do as she liked. Carefully, she took the ends of the bandage and took it away completely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His leg flinched under her touch. She suppressed her wish to say something. Instead, she eyed the wounds for a moment, then she wrapped the bandage around the leg and fixed it with a strong knot.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>All the time she didn't look at him. But she felt his watching eyes.</em>
</p><p>"<em>That should do," she said and sat back on her place, still avoiding his glance. She watched how he took his leg closer.</em></p><p>
  <em>Slowly she moved her eyes at him. But his expression was a closed book. He showed no emotion. Quickly she shirked from his look and kept distance between him and herself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When Shen didn't see her eyes anymore, he blinked. A gentle sadness covered his face. He sighed silently. This woman made it difficult for him to keep his proud grandeur. Indulgence was an unacceptable word in his mind until now. But it happened almost too many times the last few days. Just because of her. He was apprehensive to give in. That was weakness. He couldn't afford a weak point. And it was too sorrowful.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His lips trembled. </em>
</p><p>Never come back.</p><p>
  <em>He should never come back. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>That's what his father had shouted him in his face.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His own father. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Everyone of whom he thought they were worth to be loved by him, had turned their back on him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Everyone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He tensed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nobody should dare it again.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He looked at her when she wrapped her wings around herself.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Are you still feeling cold?" he asked.</em></p><p>
  <em>She gave him an apologizing look.</em>
</p><p>"<em>No, it's okay to me."</em></p><p>
  <em>He snorted snappishly. "I see."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He moved a little closer. Stiffly she stayed on her place. Then slowly he laid his arm over her shoulder and closed the blanket around her and himself.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Better?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Hesitantly, she nodded. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Fine," he said condescendingly. "Do me the favor and don't be so cramped. It makes me nervous."</em></p><p>"<em>Oh, I'm sorry."</em></p><p>
  <em>Quickly she snuggled against him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Is it better for you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He gave her a disdainful side-glance. "Close enough."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With that, he rubbed his forehead. To his relief she closed her eyes. Then it became silent around them. Just the fire crackled. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>After a while she lay her head on his long neck. That unfamiliar touch made him wide awake, but he felt like paralyzed at the same time. For a brief moment he couldn't think, just feel. His hand was still resting on her back. Gently he stroked over her back. She sighed deeply. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Did she like that?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly he felt like a little boy who didn't know how things worked. Where was the limit? He had never talked with his parents about such kind of things. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He looked down at her and breathed in her smell of fresh soap.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Never before a woman was so close to him like now. Except few days ago when she had been ill but this was so different. It was different from the last time. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She lifted her head higher. Was that a good sign?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her forehead touched his chin. A heat rose inside his head.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly he wrapped his other arm around her. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Did she feel cold again?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He caught his breath quietly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He wasn't allowed to let himself go. Where was his control?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But it felt so good. Who would care about it? Not his parents, not her family. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Who cared about that?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He winced. Her hand rested on his shoulder.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He trembled inside. He enjoyed it being ensnared. In his teen time he had often tried to kiss a girl for fun, but all what he had gotten was a slap or a push, despite he was a prince. No female wanted to have him in their near.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She nestled herself on his neck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peacock was like paralyzed. Didn't she know what she was doing?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But she seemed to like that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His fingers cramped.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Damn it, let it happen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He turned her around gently, their upper bodies almost touched each other. But he leaned forward and cradled her. She reacted again. His eyes had focused on her beak. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Just a little… just one time.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He pressed his lips on hers. His sanity stopped working.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He couldn't believe what he did.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If his parents saw him, they wouldn't be happy. He was kissing an unknown strange woman. She stroked his back. It felt so good. He wanted more.</em>
</p><p>"<em>No!"</em></p><p>
  <em>She pushed him away gently and fled into the opposite part of the room. Still in trance, he looked after her. Step by step his mind became clear again. Then he followed her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>What is it? What's wrong?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He saw how she trembled. He sighed. </em>
</p><p>"<em>I'm sorry…"</em></p><p>
  <em>Did he cross the line?</em>
</p><p>"<em>I just wanted to touch your lips, not more."</em></p><p>
  <em>He pressed his lips together. Maybe it was the wrong words, but damn, what was he saying?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She was still trembling.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He snorted. "I'm not good enough for you, am I?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He gave himself an inner slap again. What did he promise her?</em>
</p><p>"<em>N-no, no," she stuttered. "I – I liked that…"</em></p><p>
  <em>He stared at her with surprise. "Really?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He came a little closer. Her shy eyes directed at him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord reached out his hands, but she raised her hands. </em>
</p><p>"<em>It's just…"</em></p><p>"<em>Because of…"</em></p><p>"<em>No, not because of you… it's more… I'm afraid."</em></p><p>"<em>Afraid of what?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She wrapped her arms around herself. "I never did…"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He stared at her with surprise.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You are a virgin?"</em></p><p>
  <em>She tensed up and covered her face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Silently, he glanced at her. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Someone like you who travels and you still are…"</em></p><p>"<em>I was always afraid," she said quickly. "I can't trust anyone."</em></p><p>
  <em>He narrowed his eyes skeptically. "And what about me?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She gazed him. "I… I don't know. I don't know what I shall think. It's all so… so strange."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He silenced. Then he spoke calmly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You are not the only one here."</em></p><p>
  <em>She lifted her head with surprise.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You too?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He dropped his face a little while she spoke on.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Does it mean you never consorted with a woman?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He took a breath, came closer and petted over her face gently.</em>
</p><p>"<em>They hate my color," he whispered. "For them I'm only a doom."</em></p><p>
  <em>She closed her eyes, enjoying his touch.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I don't mind," she said. "Either if you would have a colorful plumage, it would be difficult for me to see what color you have."</em></p><p>
  <em>He said nothing. Instead, he lowered his hands and wrapped them around her torso to take her closer. His eyes wandered back to the pillows where they had almost done what they wanted to do.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hesitantly, she followed his glance. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Before it was a funny game, but now it became serious. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shen rubbed his finger feathers around her. Was she ready for that? But there was a heat what they couldn't ignore. They wanted it, but was that the right way?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't feel like an adult, but he had to lead her like a man leaded a woman in a dance. </em>
</p><p>"<em>You said you would stay. Could you imagine staying longer?"</em></p><p>"<em>How much longer?"</em></p><p>"<em>Very longer."</em></p><p>
  <em>She couldn't avoid his eyes. She was like hypnotized.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Would you give me the honor to stay with me?"</em></p><p>
  <em>It was like his question a few days ago. To stay as long as his project had done. Nobody knew how long it would be, but long. Now she should decide her future, sharing with him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She didn't know why, but her instinct gave her the push to give him a nod.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He sighed with a smile. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Then stay with me a very long time."</em></p><p>
  <em>He wrapped his hands around her hands. Slowly he guided her back to the fire. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her heartbeat became faster. She was afraid, but excited at the same time. He had proposed marriage to her and was walking with her to the bridal night now. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She blinked. She had never thought in her life to come together with a man this way.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shen winced. They had already reached the pillows, but she had stopped. Her face had dropped. She seemed to lose her courage and force.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peacock didn't know what to do instead. It was difficult to lead an army in war, but this was more complicated but wonderful. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>A brief shake went through her body when he started to rub his fingers around her hands. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then he came closer and lifted her chin. Her shy silver eyes met his firm red ones. But this time they weren't serious. They looked so warmly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shen forced himself to a gentle smile. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Blue is cold," he began. "Green less cold, yellow is warmer, orange very warm, but red…" Do you remember?"</em></p><p>"<em>It's hot like fire," she finished.</em></p><p>
  <em>He chuckled. "Did I ever tell you how many red feathers I have?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>No."</em></p><p>"<em>Let me make you a suggestion. Count my red feathers and I count your silver feathers."</em></p><p>
  <em>First, she wanted to smile, but then it died.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His red feathers were on his head and feather tail, but her silver feathers more over her body. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord sighed deeply. His try had given not the success what he had hoped. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>His wings wandered higher and stopped on her shoulders. She watched his movements, his face like a mystery. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Trust me."</em></p><p>
  <em>His deep, slow voice let her fall like in a trance.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Just trust me."</em></p><p>
  <em>That was all what he knew to say. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The last clear thought disappeared when their lips came closer. His wings caressed her. Everything around them blurred. She didn't mind when she felt how her robe fell down.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Next morning, in the early hours</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She breathed in the cold air through the open window of the quarter. It felt like after a restart. She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. A pleasant shiver ran over her body when caring wings stroke her upper body gently and someone clung to her from behind. Petting her neck, the white peacock leaned forward and whispered in her ear. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Good morning."</em></p><p>
  <em>He touched her softly and stroked over her chest. She enjoyed his close near. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a while they kept together and looked at the snowed landscape. The blizzard was already gone and silent lay over it. Finally, she turned around to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He had whipped on his robe provisionally so that his shoulders lay free. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She smiled at him. "You will catch a cold."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With that, she moved closer, put both ends of her blanket over his shoulders, but the blanket wasn't big enough so that they had to stand very closely linked. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The lord gave her a chuckling laugh. Without fear, she let fall herself forward and her unclothed body leaned against him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nestling they rubbed their heads each other.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She sighed with pleasure. </em>
</p><p>"<em>It was wonderful."</em></p><p>
  <em>He smiled. "You, too."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She lifted her head. Their faces came closer until their beaks touched each other. Then her head slithered down and leaned on his neck.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He sighed deeply. With one hand he petted over her head, with the other one he wrapped her torso.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The first rays of the sun appeared over the horizon.</em>
</p><p>"<em>And if I rule China," he muttered. "You will stand by my site. I will make you to the mightiest woman in the kingdom."</em></p><p>
  <em>She stroked over his wing. "Sway and wealth are unimportant for me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With that she looked in his face seriously. "It's important that we stay together."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He breathed with satisfaction and lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed her finger wings.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Never in my life… no one gave me a better gift than you did last night."</em></p><p>
  <em>She wrapped her fingers closer around his hands. </em>
</p><p>"<em>The heaven couldn't have given me another man like you."</em></p><p>
  <em>He added his pressure around her hands before he let them wander down. She followed his example and they embraced intensely. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The banished white prince couldn't hold it back. Her touch brought tears to his eyes. So strong that one of them dropped on her cheek. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>With shock, she looked at him. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Have I done anything wrong?"</em></p><p>"<em>No…" Quickly he wiped the tears away. "It's just… the gunpowder from yesterday. I didn't get it out enough from my feathers."</em></p><p>
  <em>She forced a smile. "Maybe we should take a bath together in the future. I could clean you."</em>
</p><p>"<em>Maybe not a bad idea," and stroke over her back. She chuckled with relief and snuggled against him again, without seeing new tears in his eyes. </em></p><p>
  <em>He couldn't get enough to feel her and to stroke her back. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It should never end. </em>
</p><hr/><p>The white peacock let fall the letter and watched the dancing snowflakes in front of the window in the night.</p><hr/>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. The missing dumplings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Dad?"</p><p>Po looked into the kitchen.</p><p>"Did you see Shen?"</p><p>Po had worried about the peacock and had dared to take a look into his room, but it was empty.</p><p>Mr. Ping was busy to make a little dinner for their hosts.</p><p>"Oh, as far as I know he went out."</p><p>"In this weather? It's snowing heavily."</p><p>Mr. Ping shrugged his shoulders. "That's what I said to him too, but he seemed to be very abstracted."</p><p>The panda rubbed over his head. "Alright. Thanks."</p><p>With that, he walked to the house door, but before he opened it another sheep crossed his way.</p><p>"Excuse me, do you know where Shen is?"</p><p>"He is standing outside," the sheep answered. "And is staring dead ahead."</p><p>"And where exactly?"</p><p>"Look through the window."</p><p>Po did. But he had to look twice until he realized the white peacock on a hill not far away from the house in the dark snowed night.</p><p>"How long has he been standing there?"</p><p>But the sheep was already gone.</p><p>Po battled with himself whether he should go over to the lord or not. Finally, he opened the door. An icy wind flew into his face. Footprints of a bird leaded away from the house in the snow.</p><p>Carefully Po made one step after another through the snow, closer and closer to the peacock who didn't move.</p><p>"Is he going to spend the night here?" Po asked himself.</p><hr/><p>A cold wind blew over the landscape.</p><p>But he didn't feel it. The white lord just stared ahead like in wide distance.</p><p>"Shen?" A voice called him, but he didn't react.</p><p>"Shen? Hey! It's cold and snowing, don't you see it?"</p><p>He didn't answer. Not even if a white-black figure appeared in front of him and waved with his hands.</p><p>"Shen?"</p><p>The panda looked at him with a worried glance. "Can you hear me?"</p><p>"How can you stand it, panda?" an apathetic voice said.</p><p>Po dilated his eyes with surprise. "Standing what?"</p><p>For the first time a deep sigh came over the lord's lips.</p><p>"How can you stand to see me?"</p><p>"Uuuuuhhh…"</p><p>Po had no idea what the peacock wanted to hear. A philosophic thing or something?</p><p>"Well, meh, seeing someone is a very, very complex notion."</p><p>The panda forced a smile, but Shen's face was like stone.</p><p>Po looked back and tried to find out where the peacock was staring the whole time.</p><p>But all what he saw was snow and darkness.</p><p>He paid his attention back to the lord who still didn't change his position.</p><p>Po rubbed over his neck and dared a new try of communication. "Are you… are you thinking about her?"</p><p>Again just silence. Po meant to give up, but then the white bird moved his lips.</p><p>"Snow is a beauty, isn't it?"</p><p>Po looked around with irritation.</p><p>"Uh,… yees. We, uh, we all like snow, don't we?"</p><p>"Although your parents died on a snowed night?"</p><p>This time it was Po who gave a deep sigh. With a silent thud he let fall himself in the snow and watched the peacock silently. His wish to see in his mind grew up with every cold minute. What's going on in the lord's head? It had to be the letter. Xinxin had just told him parts, no more, because of the secrecy of letters. But it was enough for the panda to understand what the peahen had felt for the army leader of Gongmen City.</p><p>Still silent Po drew something in the snow before he looked up again.</p><p>"I'm sure she will forgive you."</p><p>Suddenly, without warning the lord turned away and walked down the hill with firmly footsteps. "I'm feeling cold."</p><p>"I- I didn't mean…"</p><p>But Shen interrupted him with a warning rising of his wing while he didn't stop walking. And without one word more he entered the house and left the panda alone in the snow.</p><hr/><p>Shen didn't think about where he went and was. He just walked around without target and followed some lights. And that is how it came that he found himself in the kitchen of the house where Mr. Ping was still working.</p><p>The gander turned around when he saw a movement in the corner of his eye.</p><p>"Oh, welcome, sir, I didn't expect you, sorry for the mess."</p><p>He made a low bow, Shen returned the gesture, then he walked over to the table and seat himself on a pillow.</p><p>Mr. Ping watched him and moments later he put a bowl of soup on the table.</p><p>The white ex-prince eyed it but he pushed it away.</p><p>"I'm not hungry."</p><p>The gander looked at him in confusion.</p><p>But the peacock folded his hands together and shirked from his glance.</p><p>Mr. Ping took the bowl away and put it back on the sink. Then he took a spoon and stirred the soup in the boiler.</p><p>For a while nobody spoke a word, until Mr. Ping cleaned his throat.</p><p>"Well, it must have been a complete surprise, wasn't it?"</p><p>The peacock directed his eyes at him.</p><p>"How do you know?"</p><p>"Po told me."</p><p>Shen narrowed his eyes angrily. "In this case, <em>everything</em>, right?"</p><p>"I will not let it go any further," Mr. Ping affirmed.</p><p>The peacock snorted and looked away.</p><p>After seconds of silence, Mr. Ping dared to continue the dialog.</p><p>"You had a bad row, hadn't you?"</p><p>A shocked silent scream cut the air when a feather knife missed the gander by a hair's breadth. With wide eyes Mr. Ping stared at it which stuck in the wood wall of the kitchen.</p><p>Slowly he looked at the lord and winced. The white peacock stood there like an attacking leopard. Then he moved back on his pillow very slowly. With a deep sigh, the white bird folded his hands together and fell calm again, but his posture kept tensed.</p><p>"You have no idea," it came over the lord's lips, his eyes directed at the table.</p><p>Meanwhile Mr. Ping screwed up his courage and pulled the feather knife out of the wall.</p><p>With the sharp instrument in his wing, he walked to the table and put it gently on it.</p><p>Shen eyed it a few seconds, then he took it and put it away somewhere in his feathers.</p><p>Mr. Ping put his feather tips together and watched him.</p><p>"That's not a shame," he tried. "In every family can be a dispute."</p><p>He froze when Shen's eyes met him icily.</p><p>"You can talk," the peacock said fretfully. "For you, it's always easy."</p><p>Mr. Ping winced, then he chuckled ruefully.</p><p>"Well, Po and I weren't of one mind always. I still remember how we had an awful row."</p><p>The peacock moved his eyes slowly to the right and back to him.</p><p>"Can't imagine," Shen muttered more to himself.</p><p>The gander smiled.</p><p>"Oh yes, it's so long time ago. Po had already learned to speak and it was a warm summer day…"</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>Many years ago, Valley of Peace, Po's childhood</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>"<em>Po? Po?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping looked under the kitchen table. But there was no panda under it.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Now he looked under an inverted pan. But still no little panda.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a loud sigh, Mr. Ping circled around the kitchen room.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Where could he be? He is a child, but not so small that he could overlook him. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Mr. Ping!?" a loud voice shouted from outside. </em></p><p>
  <em>The gander winced and looked through the restaurant window.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>In the entrance frame of the restaurant terrace stood a big rabbit mother. Mr. Ping swallowed. Mrs. Maotu, the neighbor woman, wasn't one of the most peaceful neighbors and most people avoided her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping was going to greet her, when he realized a little panda by her hand.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po!" Mr. Ping left the kitchen and ran at them. "Where have you been?"</em></p><p>
  <em>But before Mr. Ping could reach Po, Mrs. Maotu pushed him away. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Under my kitchen window," she grunted angrily. "I had a bowl of dumplings on the windowsill and now they are gone."</em></p><p>"<em>Gone?" Mr. Ping tried to understand. "Where gone?"</em></p><p>"<em>Ask him." With that, she lifted the panda higher. </em></p><p>"<em>And this is what he had this in his hand."</em></p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping's eyes grew wide when she held a dumpling at him. Nibbled off. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Po!"</em></p><p>
  <em>The restaurateur was speechless.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I didn't eat them," the little panda muttered.</em></p><p>"<em>Mischievous child!" Mrs. Maotu scolded and gave him a hard push. "Bother yourself about to bring up your child in a better way!"</em></p><p>
  <em>She threw the panda child to Mr. Ping who fell backwards because of Po's weight.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You will pay my dumplings."</em></p><p>
  <em>With that the big rabbit walked away.</em>
</p><hr/><p>"<em>Po, how many times did I tell you, it's not fine to eat the meal from the others."</em></p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping stood in the kitchen, the little panda in front of him, with crossed hands on his back.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You will apologize to her."</em></p><p>"<em>But I didn't eat them."</em></p><p>"<em>And what about the dumpling in your hand?"</em></p><p>"<em>I've found it on the floor."</em></p><p>"<em>After you have eaten the others."</em></p><p>"<em>I didn't eat them."</em></p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping narrowed his eyes. "Po, lying is an ugly thing. I know how many times you ate my dumplings without my permission, and you said a hamster had stolen them."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The panda swallowed. "But this time I didn't eat them."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping sighed. Maybe he hadn't been strictly enough.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po. Go to your room."</em></p><p>
  <em>The little panda's eyes grew wide. "What?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Children who lie go supperless to bed."</em></p><p>"<em>But I did nothing."</em></p><p>"<em>Po! To your room!"</em></p><p>
  <em>The little panda stamped his foot. "I hate you!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With shocked eyes Mr. Ping watched how Po ran up the stairs.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Oh no, what have I done?"</em></p><hr/><p>
  <em>Silently, Mr. Ping stroke the knife on a board deep in thoughts.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Never before, he had spoken such hard words. Why had he done that?</em>
</p><p>"<em>Bother yourself about to bring up your child in a better way!" Mrs. Maotu had told him.</em></p><p>
  <em>Mrs. Maotu was a very strict woman and nobody would dare to say she would lie. And if she said, she had caught Po at eating her dumplings, it had to be true.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But otherwise, Mrs. Maotu was a very strict mother. With five children, she owned a house, without a husband. And he knew how many things she forbade her children. Mr. Ping had never tolerated her parenting, but he had never been a father before. And he had admonished Po after he had lied at him the last time when he had broken a bowl and wanted to conceal it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The gander shook his head. He had made it clear to Po that he shouldn't lie to him. And he had never done it again. But did he today?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a loud sigh Mr. Ping put the knife aside and walked to the stairs. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Po?" he cried upwards. "Po, maybe I had overreacted, come down and we will talk about it calmly."</em></p><p>
  <em>But there was no answer. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping took a deep breath. "Po, please, come down."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Step by step he climbed up the stairs where Po's room was. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Po? Did you hear what I said?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The gander caught his breath when he looked over the edge of the wooden floor. Po's room was empty. There was no panda.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po?"</em></p><hr/><p>"<em>Po! Po!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping looked in every hidden alley around the restaurant. But Po was gone.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po? Po? I didn't mean it like that! Po!?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Finally, he knocked against every house door in the neighborhood until he came to Mrs. Maotu.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Excuse me," Mr. Ping apologized with ducked head when the big rabbit mother looked down at him with angry face. "Did you see my son?"</em></p><p>"<em>And I thought you were here making good the damage of my meal."</em></p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping swallowed. "Of course, I will do, but first I have to find my son."</em>
</p><p>"<em>I don't know where your spoiled child is. I only want to have back my dumplings."</em></p><p>
  <em>The gander wiped over his forehead. "Maybe your children have seen him."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mrs. Maotu snorted. "My children would never talk with such a…"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Yes, yes," Mr. Ping interrupted impatiently. "But can I ask them?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The big rabbit mother turned around. "If you like. But not too long. My children don't need a bad company."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With lowered head Mr. Ping followed her into the house. In near of a foldable ladder they stopped. Mrs. Maotu pulled a long blanket what hanged down from the ceiling.</em>
</p><p>"<em>My parenting is a good model. You should follow that example."</em></p><p>
  <em>With another hard pulling and her children, five little rabbits, fell down the blanket.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping's eyes grew wide. Not because of the children, but something what rolled between the little rabbits.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dumplings.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With big eyes the rabbit children looked at them. One of them let disappear a dumpling in his mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now it was Mr. Ping who spoke with a biting tone.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I- I think you should see to teach your children in a better way."</em></p><p>
  <em>Completely bedlam, Mr. Ping ran out of the house. When he saw two pigs on a bench, he ran at them. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Excuse me, did you see my son?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The two pigs exchanged glances. </em>
</p><p>"<em>But he isn't your son," one of them said.</em></p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping threw his hands over his head. "He is my son! I'm just a bad father!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Without explanation, he ran down the street, always calling Po's name.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po! Po!"</em></p><p>
  <em>Over a half hour he ran crisscross through the village, even in Jade palace, but he couldn't find a panda or a hint.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Exhausted, he let fall himself on a little stone on the edge of the village. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Po, where are you?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Tears filled his eyes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Silently, he watched the sun, which was going to touch the horizon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Finally, he wiped over his eyes.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Okay," he spoke to himself. "If I was Po, where would I go?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Po is eating every time, with good and bad mood, but in a bad mood he has to eat much more. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But where should he get something to eat? He wasn't in the village.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then Mr. Ping had an idea.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>It was almost in the twilight when the gander reached the bamboos wood. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>First Mr. Ping had planned to scream after Po, but then he was afraid of calling his name loudly. Instead, he called the name very timidly.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po?"</em></p><p>
  <em>First, there has been just silence. But then, a rustling, cracking, chewing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly and carefully Mr. Ping walked between the bamboo trees. The eating sounds became louder. He stopped when he saw a little white-black figure which crouched admit gnawed bamboo branches.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The gander made a few big steps forward.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Po! I was worried about you!"</em></p><p>
  <em>The little panda gave him a petulant look and crammed the next bamboo shoot in his mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The gander rubbed his finger wings together and looked down remorsefully. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Uhm, don't you want to come home?"</em></p><p>
  <em>Po didn't reply and continued chewing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With a deep sigh, the gander came closer.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Listen, Po. I have to admit, my reaction was very injudicious and unfair. It was stupid of me to send you to your room. I had to listen to you first. I know, you didn't eat the dumplings. And I'm here to apologize. I'm so sorry, I was wrong."</em></p><p>
  <em>He made a break while the panda looked at him with full mouth.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping tried a smile, but it disappeared when Po avoided his glance.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping chuckled nervously and came closer. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Po, do you remember about your first try of making noodles?"</em></p><p>
  <em>The little panda muttered a difficult to understand "yes".</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Slowly Mr. Ping sat down next to him.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Your first try was a tough mud. But you didn't give up to try it again and again."</em></p><p>
  <em>Po crossed his arms and looked somewhere in the distance.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping cleaned his throat. </em>
</p><p>"<em>Well, what I want to say is, that many things in our life can get broken. But that's just that everyone of us can be a beginner."</em></p><p>
  <em>He folded his hands. </em>
</p><p>"<em>You were a beginner of making noodles. And I? Well, I'm a beginner, too."</em></p><p>
  <em>Now Po looked at him. "A beginner? You made the noodles good ever."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping laughed. "Well, I'm an absolute beginner of being a father. I also need some tries to make it better. You are a professional at being a child."</em>
</p><p>"<em>A professional?"</em></p><p>"<em>Oh yes, and an eating champion. These are two more points for you. That's what I will never make."</em></p><p>
  <em>Both relapsed into silence until Po slid a little closer. "Maybe you can make it with more effort."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With that Po handed him a bamboo shoot.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Mr. Ping forced a smile and took a bite.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The little panda chuckled when Mr. Ping tried to chew the hard wood.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Well," the gander muttered between chewing movements of his beak. "A little tough." </em></p><p>
  <em>He stood up and put the bamboo branch aside.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Maybe we should cook something at home." </em></p><p>"<em>Great!" The little panda jumped up. "I'm hungry."</em></p><p>
  <em>The gander smiled. "That's my son." And took him by his hand. </em>
</p><hr/><p>Mr. Ping sigh loudly.</p><p>"And from this day on, our life was one step better."</p><p>Lord Shen had listened to him silently and looked at him with empty glance.</p><p>Mr. Ping smiled. "But one thing we have learned, as long as love is still present, things can be fixed every time."</p><p>The peacock looked away. Did he know what he wanted to say with that?</p><p>But Mr. Ping didn't want to speak more about it and turned back to his work.</p><hr/><p>Po leaned against the corridor wall with a deep sigh after he had heard the story.</p><p>He remembered that day and he had never forgotten.</p><p>Suddenly the door was opened and a sheep ran inside.</p><p>Po was afraid when he saw it in its face that the sheep had no good news.</p><p>"Where is the lord?" the sheep asked wildly.</p><p>Po pointed at the kitchen door.</p><p>"Uh… kitchen."</p><p>Without one word more to him, it ran inside the kitchen.</p><p>"Lord Shen! It's about your son!"</p><p>Mr. Ping and Lord Shen looked up at the same time.</p><p>"I… I'm afraid that… I think he…"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Familiar strange</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We can do nothing for him anymore."</p><p>With a deep regretful sigh, the older sheep closed his bag which stood next to Sheng's bed.</p><p>The young peacock was still breathing, but very, very heavily.</p><p>Po looked at Shen, searching for a reaction. But the lord's face was emotionless. Without a sign of feeling he looked at the bed where his son was fighting against death.</p><p>The panda swallowed down a comment and approached the soothsayer.</p><p>"Can you do nothing?" he asked hopefully and pressed his palms together. "You know so much."</p><p>The goat lowered her glance. It seemed to be hard for her to give an answer.</p><p>Po winced. The white peacock had moved. Very slowly he came closer to the head of the bed. Then he reached for the blue-green wing. It was so unbelievable that the same blood ran through their veins. How old was he now? 18 years. 18 years where he had never known anything about him, never heard his voice, never seen his eyes.</p><p>Po caught his breath. Shen moved his wings around the wing of the colored peacock.</p><p>The panda could see his face from the side only, but he thought a broken area covered the lord's face.</p><p>Slowly Shen moved his feather fingers around the wing. He closed his eyes. And when he opened them again, they were wet.</p><p>"<em>I really wish I could see how you carry our baby in your arms," </em>echoed the written words of her in his head.</p><p>Po chewed on his lips. He wanted to say something, but otherwise he didn't want to disturb him.</p><p>Finally, the older sheep started a sentence.</p><p>"Should we…"</p><p>He silenced.</p><p>The lord had risen his white wings, bent forward and laid his upper body over the boy's body like he wanted to transfer his life energy on him. He whispered something, but so silently that nobody understood. It was short and pleading.</p><p>What did he try to say? Something for regret?</p><p>Po felt the hands of his father on his arm. Mr. Ping looked at him like he wanted to say, they should leave them alone.</p><p>A sigh of soothsayer let the panda froze. He looked around. She was walking over to the peacocks. After she had reached the bed, she put one hand on the lord's back. By her touch, the white body trembled a little, but Shen managed to raise his head and to look at her and met her sad eyes.</p><p>"Your father never wanted that you have to go through the same like he did," she began with slow and warm voice. "He never wanted that you know how to feel to lose a child. Not how it is to lose a son."</p><p>She dropped her face. "If he had been able, he would have made it undone. But because of the law, his hands were tied."</p><p>She reached out her hand and wiped away a tear in the white lord's face.</p><p>He didn't start crying, but he was close of doing.</p><p>Gently she gave him a sign he should make way for her.</p><p>Slowly the peacock rose and stepped aside. Then she came closer to the bed and eyed the weak young peacock.</p><p>She sighed deeply. She leaned the cane against the bed and closed her eyes. Then she lifted her hands. Po and all the others in the room watched her.</p><p>Then she moved her hands in a slow swinging way around, her eyelids were tensed. She seemed to be concentrated very deeply.</p><p>Po's eyes grew wider. Suddenly the palms of the old goat started to glow. Finally, after a new swing she lowered her hands and directed them close over the peacock's chest.</p><p>Something glowing like water in the air flowed over the motionless body. But then… the chest began to move stronger. The young bird breathed in sharply like after being under water to bring back the air in his lungs. But shortly after that, his breathing slowed down and came over to a normal rhythm.</p><p>With fascination, Po had watched the play with open mouth. "Wow."</p><p>But suddenly…</p><p>"No."</p><p>Shen bent forward before the goat could hit the floor. She had vacillated and sank down.</p><p>Po ran over and helped her up, but the woman had closed her eyes.</p><p>"What happened to her?" Po asked in worried sound.</p><p>Xinxin, who had come in the room, ran over to him and touched the old woman's arm.</p><p>"She is still breathing. Maybe it was too much for her. Could we bring her somewhere where she can recover?"</p><p>The older sheep came closer. "Of course."</p><p>More sheep came and carried her away. At least the soothsayer wasn't completely motionless, but she was still too weak to give a sound.</p><p>The others looked after them.</p><p>Po was still very confused about all.</p><p>"What was that?"</p><p>He looked at his father. But he had no answer.</p><p>"Who.. how…"</p><p>He turned around. In disbelief, he stared at the bed, where the young peacock sat and rubbed his eyes.</p><p>"My young lord!" Xinxin cried and bowed to earth several times. "I was so afraid that I had to send your family a heartbreaking message."</p><p>Sheng looked at her in a surprised way. "You? Where am I?"</p><p>"Can't you remember, young prince?"</p><p>For a moment, the young boy thought about it.</p><p>"I remember about a fight… big creatures. My sister took me away after something hit me heavily… But then… everything is so… dark."</p><p>He rubbed his head.</p><p>"There were voices. Many voices. But the last voice, was… strange for me."</p><p>The fox woman pointed to the side.</p><p>"It was he."</p><p>When the young peacock moved his face to the side, he froze.</p><p>Shen stood very close against the wall, his wings under his robe, watching the boy whom he had never seen before.</p><p>The young lord seemed to think the same. Without breaking the eye contact, he put the blanket aside carefully. When his feet searched for firm ground, his knees started to tremble. Xinxin was close to give him a helping hand, but Sheng managed to stand. His dark blue pajama-robe touched the floor when he walked a few steps closer to the white lord.</p><p>Shen didn't avoid his glance. The boy's eyes were dark green with a silver glimmer. He tried to show a strong spirit, but he gave the impression of standing like lost in a strange world.</p><p>Then the younger one held in front of him at arm's length. Gazing at him. He seemed to guess something. They eyed each other for a long while. Nobody dared to speak a word, until the young lord moved his lips.</p><p>"Are you…?"</p><p>He didn't finish the sentence and waited for an answer.</p><p>Finally, Shen opened his mouth a bit. "Yes, I am."</p><p>Sheng's eyes became bigger. What was he thinking about him?</p><p>Po couldn't see much, but he could guess the young lord was very confused.</p><p>But his now knowing father didn't say more.</p><p>Slowly he reached out his wing and touched his son's shoulder.</p><p>Sheng didn't resist, but it was very strange for him. They were relatives and but felt so strange like from different worlds. Carefully, he wanted to touch the older lord's arm, but suddenly, Shen pulled back his wing and pressed it on his chest.</p><p>At last, Sheng had recovered and realized the others who watched them.</p><p>"But… how is… you…"</p><p>The figure of the panda confused him more and didn't know where he should sort him.</p><p>Po didn't know what to do instead and lifted his hand. "Hi."</p><p>"Who is… are you?... And where is my sister?"</p><p>Po put his hands over his head. "Oh, oh. That's a very long story. But maybe we should eat something first."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Glass-clad facade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"And then she did that – unusual shining thing – very strange. And then – you woke up."</p><p>Po finished his long story and looked around with excitement.</p><p>He stood in the kitchen, not far away from the new alive Sheng, who sat at a table where Mr. Ping took away the empty soup bowl which the young peacock had emptied.</p><p>Sheng had listened to him very carefully. It was in the middle of the night, but nobody seemed to be tired. Even not Shen, who had left them all so suddenly without explanation.</p><p>Po and Mr. Ping took the task to lead the young peacock into the kitchen. Then Po started his story. First, he talked about how he had met Shen and what happened all in Gongmen City, but he avoided talking about details in Shen's murder case. Then he continued with what happened after the battle and so on and so on, until what Xinxin had told about his mother and all. Sheng said nothing while Po was talking. Even not if Po talked about what had happened in King Wang's castle. He asked no questions about his mother or sister. But when Po had finished, he folded together his blue-green wings and stared at the table surface deep in thoughts, nobody knew about what.</p><p>Po watched him in disillusionment. He put his fingertips together and waited for a reaction. But Sheng looked like he would feel nothing. At least not at the moment. Then he lifted his eyes, directed them at the Dragon Warrior and asked with firm, calm voice: "Any suggestions or plans to get them out?"</p><p>Po looked at the young man with surprise. He had expected tears or questions about his mother, but he was more than neutral.</p><p>"Eeeeehhhhhh…. Not yet," Po brought himself to say. "Not yet, at the moment."</p><p>Po flinched when the peacock slammed his hands on the table.</p><p>"In this case, I have to take matters in hand myself."</p><p>With that, he got up, bowed at Mr. Ping, thanked for the meal, then he left the room.</p><p>The goose and the panda looked after him with confusion.</p><p>For more than 10 seconds, Po didn't know what to say. That boy was the opposite of his sister and so – neutral.</p><p>"Don't mind," a female voice said and Xinxin appeared in the kitchen. "It's not because of you," the vixen said. "But you have to know, Xiang trained him very hard to hide feelings. He should never show such kind of things." She paused. "With success."</p><p>With a deep sigh, she wiped over her head. "But I only want to say, that she came to herself again."</p><p>"Who?" Po asked.</p><p>"Soothsayer."</p><p>"Oh, can I go to her?"</p><p>The maid shrugged her shoulders gently. "Well, Shen is with her."</p><hr/><p>Her breaths became stronger again. The peacock watched her with watchful eyes. For over one hour he stood next to her sleeping place in one of the houses. Her big brother-in-law took a look at her from time to time. The peacock held his breath when she opened her eyes.</p><p>First, she seemed to be exhausted, but then she smiled at him.</p><p>Shen forced a little smile back, but he wasn't very successful with that gesture.</p><p>"That's the first time that I have to wait for your awaking," he said quietly.</p><p>She sighed cheerily. "How is he?"</p><p>"He is fine again," he answered.</p><p>A new sigh and she leaned back on her pillow.</p><p>He craned his neck, just to be sure that she didn't drift in a new faint. But her breathing was normal and he kept calm.</p><p>"Well, I only wanted to see whether you are okay."</p><p>He turned around, but her voice let him wince.</p><p>"Tell me the reason."</p><p>He stopped.</p><p>"The reason for what?"</p><p>"I heard about what happened between him and you."</p><p>She opened her eyes completely. "Why?"</p><p>The peacock looked at her and narrowed his eyes with confusion. "What should I have done instead?"</p><p>"You know what I mean," she whispered gently. "It's because of your father, isn't it?"</p><p>"How…" But Shen stopped himself and lowered his face. "That… wasn't…"</p><p>"Why didn't you give him an embrace after you embraced him on his bed?"</p><p>The white lord bit on his underlip. "I couldn't…" He took a deep breath. "And I can't."</p><p>For a moment there was silence, until the goat tried a new start.</p><p>"I remember how your father hugged you when you were a little child."</p><p>She couldn't see it, but Shen tensed his wings a little. "You know nothing."</p><p>She sighed loudly, but she continued. "You were always happy when he hugged you. The state business occupied a lot of time. But you and he had your family times somehow."</p><p>The peacock swung around. He didn't want to look at her.</p><p>She let time elapse away before she dared to interrupt the silence.</p><p>"It hurt you that he repudiated you. Is that how it was?"</p><p>The peacock stood there without saying a word. Usually he didn't talk about such things, but he had no inhibitions to her to say what he thought.</p><p>"When he told me, I should leave my home," he muttered. "I thought, his father role, was just facade." There was a bitter undertone in his voice. "I never wanted to feel that again."</p><p>He paused, then he looked back to her. "Satisfies that your question?"</p><p>She watched him silently and his narrowing eyes finished the dialog. Suddenly he jumped forward to the door and opened it with a harsh movement. When Po's eyes met his ones, the panda fell almost backwards.</p><p>"Uh, I… didn't… I was going to knock against the door," the panda apologized quickly.</p><p>Shen growled. "Is there no time when I can escape from your eyes?"</p><p>Po smiled nervously and waved to Soothsayer. "Hi, nice to see you awaken."</p><p>Shen lifted his head and walked away. "I let you alone now."</p><p>Po looked after him crestfallen. "Is he angry about me?"</p><p>The goat lifted her hand in a calm way. "It was a hard day for all of us."</p><p>"Uh, yes."</p><p>"Now?" She bent forward. "What is it, big warrior?"</p><p>"What… oh, oh, yes, yes. Sorry." Po chuckled and came closer. "I only came… well, I also wanted to see whether you are fine or not… and… I- I only… well… I wanted to ask…what was that?"</p><p>She petted over her chin. "You mean what, strong warrior?"</p><p>"That shining flying thing." With that Po swung his hands.</p><p>The old goat smiled. "Chi."</p><p>"Chi?" Po had no explanation about that. "What's Chi? Can I learn that?"</p><p>The soothsayer smirked. "Dragon Warrior. There will be a time when it will reveal to you."</p><p>Po let sink his shoulders in disappointment. "Why don't you want to tell me now?"</p><p>But the goat waved her hands gently. "Exercise patience, big warrior. Your time will come. But until then, I think you have to do more important things at the moment."</p><hr/><p>"Shen? Sheng?" Po walked between the houses, always calling the names. It was still a cold night, but the snowing had stopped. "Oh dear, I hope I don't confound their names somehow."</p><p>He stopped when he almost bounced against a green-blue peacock.</p><p>"Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn't see you."</p><p>Slowly Sheng turned around and looked at him indifferently. "Doesn't matter." And looked ahead again. Po looked over his shoulder and saw how Shen stood not far away and had turned his back on them. He stood in an old abandoned house at the end of the village, maybe a kind of shed, on a wooden beam where he watched the moon.</p><p>Sheng stood in the entrance of the house and looked up at him silently.</p><p>Po didn't know what he should say about that scenario. "Can I do something…"</p><p>Sheng lifted his wing. Po choked on the word. His eyes wandered between the two birds. He was going to ask Shen, but deemed it the best to say nothing anymore. Wordlessly, he removed himself, went a few meters away where he found a dry place under a porch roof. He took a blanket, wrapped it around himself and watched them from a distance. He watched and watched, nobody of them talked, until his eyes closed.</p><hr/><p>The sun colored the morning sky with a light-dark blue. It was very early, when Po opened his blinking eyes and yawned loudly. He stretched his body, then he looked where he had seen the two peacocks last night. His eyes grew big. Nothing had changed. Both peacocks stood in the same position like last night. He took the blanket aside and walked over to Sheng, who was still watching the older peacock on the wooden beam.</p><p>"Did you stand here the rest of the night?" Po asked in disbelief.</p><p>But Sheng didn't speak. His glance was only focused on the peacock who was still sitting on the wooden beam.</p><p>Po watched him, until his stomach rumbled.</p><p>"Well, I think I should look for the breakfast."</p><p>With that the panda left them and walked to the house where Mr. Ping housed.</p><p>Sheng didn't pay attention to him and kept his stare at Shen.</p><p>It seemed the time would stand still around them.</p><p>The young peacock winced. Shen had moved. With closed eyes, he put a wing over his forehead gently. Finally, he looked back so that their eyes met.</p><p>"What do you want?"</p><p>The younger prince lowered his face. "Excuse me my behavior," he began. "Your appearance came as a surprise for me."</p><p>Shen made a jump and glided down on the floor where he landed two meters in front of the other peacock. Then the white peacock came closer slowly, and he didn't break the eye contact. Then he stopped.</p><p>"And?" he asked. "You want answers? I can't give you."</p><p>"No," Sheng said with firmly voice, but his undertone sounded confused. For the first time he seemed to cave in somehow deep inside his soul. "I… I wanted to ask you to get out my family."</p><p>Shen raised his eyebrows in surprise.</p><p>"You had escaped death a few hours ago, and talk about such things?"</p><p>Suddenly he smirked. "You have a strong will."</p><p>He circled around his son and eyed him. "And at least, you've got a good education, I guess."</p><p>When he stood behind him, Sheng turned around and look into his face again.</p><p>Shen was a little confused. The eyes of the young man spoke a harsh language.</p><p>"I have to apologize for my timidity, which I showed you," the younger one said. "It was a mistake. It will never happen anymore."</p><p>He stood firmly and stiffly. Shen couldn't explain that tone.</p><p>"What are you talking about?"</p><p>"I hadn't been master of the situation and I apologize for that."</p><p>"How do you mean it?"</p><p>"A soldier always has to stand and shows no weakness. And I was weak."</p><p>Shen chuckled, but then he became serious. "I see you had a military education, hadn't you?"</p><p>Sheng lifted his head. "The best one. Xiang trained me personally."</p><p>The white peacock nodded. Then he averted and walked outside. Sheng followed him.</p><p>"Well," Shen began. "What does your mother say? Did she go along with that?"</p><p>"What should she say about that?" Sheng sounded surprised.</p><p>Shen stopped and looked back at him. "She is your mother."</p><p>The young bird shrugged his shoulders. "So what? She has no understanding of war fighting."</p><p>Shen hesitated with a reply. His eyes narrowed a little.</p><p>"How do you have the audacity to talk about your mother in this way?"</p><p>The young bird lifted his head very high. "How can you dare to talk about that?"</p><p>"I'm your father, and I don't allow you to talk about your mother like that."</p><p>"Yesterday you wanted to kill her."</p><p>Shen hissed. "How do you know?"</p><p>"Dragon Warrior told me."</p><p>"That's how you call him?"</p><p>"How shall I call him instead?"</p><p>But Shen didn't answer and turned around. "Never mind."</p><p>He continued his walk, but Sheng didn't want to end their talk this way.</p><p>"What's wrong with you?" he asked loudly. "What are you thinking about mother?"</p><p>But Shen avoided his eyes. "Maybe I was wrong," he muttered quietly and more to himself.</p><p>"Wrong about what?"</p><p>But anew Shen avoided an answer.</p><p>"Let's talk about something different things."</p><p>Suddenly the blue-green bird jumped forward and blockaded the way.</p><p>"No, you give me an answer, right here, right now!"</p><p>Shen flinched and took a fight position. Sheng made the same and shortly after, both birds were opposing each other stared firmly into the eyes of the other. Everyone watched the movement of the person opposite.</p><p>They kept their tensed wings, until a very little soft smile crossed the white lords' lips.</p><p>"Tz. Maybe she was right."</p><p>Sheng raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Who?"</p><p>"Your sister. We are really very similar."</p><p>The tension of both dwindled away slowly. Finally, Shen put his wings together and made a few steps aside. "Your mother was a nice person. That's all what I want to say about her."</p><p>Sheng snorted. "Yes, you met her coincidentally. And after over 10 years we know that nothing was like it was."</p><p>Shen lowered his face a little. "Your mother couldn't tell you maybe."</p><p>"That's not an excuse," the young peacock said harshly.</p><p>Shen looked at him from the side. "You were angry about her."</p><p>His son glared back.</p><p>The older bird smirked. "Very emotional."</p><p>"No!" Again Sheng took a strong position. "It was just a justified outrage."</p><p>"She will have a reason for her behavior."</p><p>"Why do you defend her now?!" Sheng blocked his way again. "Now you are emotional!"</p><p>Shen's face became darker. "I saw much more things in my life than you."</p><p>"But you don't know me."</p><p>"Nobody had told me about you."</p><p>It was enough for Sheng and raised his wings. "Alright, we turn around in a circle without aim."</p><p>Shen sighed. "Well then, let's leave that."</p><p>Silently they walked side by side in the snow landscape, until Shen dared to break the silence.</p><p>"Well, you want to get them out, right?"</p><p>Sheng nodded at him. "Yes."</p><p>"So, how do you want to do it? Storming the fortress?"</p><p>Sheng lifted his head defiantly. "That will be impossible without an army. But there must be a way. All can be desired."</p><p>Shen snorted with disgust. "Is that also one of Xiang's wisdoms? Did he ever lead a war?"</p><p>The young peacock didn't speak and Shen got his answer.</p><p>The lord averted his glance. "But I did."</p><p>"And you lost."</p><p>Shen froze when his son uttered these words.</p><p>"We have heard reports about the battle," Sheng continued. Coldness lay in his words. "Xiang said, your strategy was more than sloppy."</p><p>A light flashed in the sun, but Sheng didn't flee. With a firm glance he stared at the feather formed knife which almost touched his beak. Both birds stared at each other. Nobody hovered over. For a while they stood there, finally Shen put away his knife and went away wordlessly and gave his son no last glance.</p><hr/><p>Quietly Po supped his soup. He had watched the birds for a while and had heard everything.</p><p>Now he saw how the birds went apart. And it wasn't a positive goodbye.</p><p>Deep in thoughts, Po went to a bench and spooned up his soup next to a house. After he had emptied the bowl, he watched the snow silently which glittered in the morning sun.</p><p>Basically, both were right. They couldn't abandon them. That's what they had forgotten after the fuss about Yin-Yu's letter and Sheng's nearly decease. But otherwise, Shen wasn't very wrong about his doubt to come into the castle of the Huns.</p><p>Suddenly he heard a loud panting. Somebody was running up the hill in his direction.</p><p>"I had guessed that you would be here," a familiar person gasped.</p><p>With big eyes, Po looked at the merchant sheep Hangfan, who had brought them over the border.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" Po asked, still very confused. "What about the others?"</p><p>The sheep stopped and panted heavily. "Oh, I don't know whether there are good news or not so good news for your ears."</p><p>"You mean, bad news, don't you?"</p><p>"Well, bad news would be more if something bad happens. But maybe it's just less bad."</p><p>"Yes, yes, okay, okay." Po became nervous. "I've got it. But what happened?"</p><p>"Well, after all what I had heard," the sheep began. "At least the soldiers told, that Xiang was arrested. He had broken out after we went into the castle. Nobody knows how he managed that."</p><p>"What about Xia and her mother?" Po asked impatiently.</p><p>"For all I know is, that she is in the main building of the castle. They seemed to be fine, but they were confined in a room. And… and… I heard a rumor that King Wang is going to marry Yin-Yu."</p><p>"Uh?" Was all what Po managed to say.</p><hr/><p>With slow movements the peahen stroke over her feathers to smooth them down.</p><p>She sat in front of a mirror and gave her daughter a look from time to time who watched her from behind. Together they shared a room where Yin-Yu had spent the last few days in King Wang's rooms. It was a not bad designed room. Tables, chairs and nice decorations gave the impression for a woman's room. But all that couldn't cheer them up.</p><p>With guilty, she lowered her glance. "I'm so sorry, mother. I made so many things worse. I only wanted to see you happier."</p><p>Slowly, her mother turned around. Her face was tired and sad, but her silver eyes showed that there was still life in her.</p><p>She forced a smile at her. "I know."</p><p>But that didn't calm her daughter. "I had never thought that he would do something."</p><p>The older peahen dropped her eyes before she stood up and put her wings on Xia's shoulders. "That's okay, that's okay." Her voice sounded weak, but she tried to stay firm. "Never mind. It was good to see him that he is fine."</p><p>She sank her face and whispered. "At least I could see him for the last time again." A gentle smile crossed her lips. "He had always a fierce temper."</p><p>She lifted her face and looked at her daughter. "But the main point is that you and your brother keep alive."</p><p>Xia forced a very bitter smile when she was thinking about Sheng's bad condition. But she couldn't tell the truth. Her mother should live with that thought.</p><p>The grab of Yin-Yu around her daughter became tighter. "All the other things are unimportant."</p><p>"You aren't unimportant," Xia accented. "We need you."</p><p>Suddenly a loud knocking knocked against the door.</p><p>She released her. "They are coming."</p><p>For the last time, she stroked over her feathers.</p><p>"You don't have to do that," Xia cried, avoiding her that she reached the door. "Please, don't agree with his deal."</p><p>But her mother took her wing firmly and pushed her away gently.</p><p>"Never mind." She smiled. "It's not my first forced wedding."</p><p>With that, she opened the door where ox soldiers were waiting for her. Then the door was closed again and her daughter was left alone in the room. Suddenly the young girl ran to the door and struck against it like mad. "MOTHER!"</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Unpleasant surprise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yin-Yu's heart stopped a moment when the guards opened the door of King Wang's room.</p><p>She kept her upright posture, but with a sad expression. Everybody could see, it wasn't her lucky day. Especially when questions filled and tortured her mind. Everything was so unrealistic, like a bad dream.</p><p>King Wang stood at the window. When she came in, he turned to her and came closer until they met in the middle of the room.</p><p>"Did you make a good recovery?" he asked.</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"I apologize for that incident. It's a mystery for me how he had escaped from my prison."</p><p>She watched him like it wouldn't interest her. Nothing seemed to interest her. Her thoughts were just focused on one person.</p><p>The big ox eyed her mindfully.</p><p>"Did you think about our deal?"</p><p>She sighed, but she nodded.</p><p>"And? What's your answer?"</p><p>Two seconds passed, and before she could move her lips, Wang preempted.</p><p>"Don't misunderstand me. Before you give the answer. I want to explain, I don't want to force you, but I found it for the best solution for you."</p><p>He crossed his arms on his back. "And something more. My soldiers talked me about strangers. Did you know them?"</p><p>She hesitated.</p><p>A dark shadow lay over her eyes.</p><p>King Wang didn't break the eye contact. "Was he a friend of yours?"</p><p>She winced and moved away. "No, not really, maybe more…"</p><p>She walked to the window and watched the snow outside. Her mind was so confused. A chaos like the snowflakes in the wind. So many questions without reply.</p><p>What had she done? He had never looked at her with hate like yesterday. She couldn't explain why. All what she knew were their wonderful moments with each other. She never wanted to miss them. Even not because of his rage. Whatever happened, she has been just happy that Xiang told her, he had taken care that he would come out of the castle.</p><p>"Snow is so beautiful," she muttered.</p><p>King Wang couldn't do anything with that. Another question was in his mind.</p><p>"That panda, did you know him?"</p><p>She shook her head slowly, still looking out of the window.</p><p>"Too bad. I had hoped it would be the special panda what China is talking about the whole time."</p><p>He waved that thought away.</p><p>"But I think that's unimportant at the moment."</p><p>He watched her. "I know you hate your husband, do you?"</p><p>She wrapped her wings around herself.</p><p>She didn't want to answer. But her silence spoke a clear language.</p><p>King Wang came closer. "Well then. Do you agree my deal?"</p><p>She lifted her head. "Yes…"</p><p>Suddenly the door was opened.</p><p>The king and the lady turned around in surprise.</p><p>Soldiers came in, armed to the teeth.</p><p>"What's the meaning of this?" King Wang asked.</p><p>After five soldiers had passed the door frame, another bigger ox appeared between them and wore fewer weapons than the others.</p><p>"Guo!" King Wang cried. "What's going on?"</p><p>Yin-Yu realized the ox who had caught Xiang in the hidden corridors first.</p><p>"My last order, my king," Guo said and waved back.</p><p>The soldiers made way and another person entered the room.</p><p>Both didn't know what to say when Xiang smiled at them maliciously.</p><p>"Are you surprised to see me here?"</p><p>The colorful peacock chuckled.</p><p>Wang and Yin-Yu exchanged glances. "I- I had no knowledge about…" the peahen stuttered.</p><p>"Like always," Xiang cut her words. "But I'm very disappointed what you wanted to do behind my back."</p><p>The peacock showed a played disconsolateness and went over to her.</p><p>"It saddens me to hear that we don't understand each other anymore."</p><p>He stopped in front of her. She lowered her head and ducked herself like an obsequious dog.</p><p>Xiang reached out his wing and lifted her chin. "How low can you go?"</p><p>The following slap on her face wasn't hard, but painful.</p><p>King Wang wanted to push him away from here, but soldiers circled him with swords.</p><p>"I insist an explanation," he said.</p><p>Xiang left Yin-Yu. "What it is, you ask? Explained with an easy word: Revolution. My revolution. Against you."</p><p>Wang's eyes wandered to Guo. "What have I done to you?"</p><p>"That's the problem," Guo replied. "Nothing. You did nothing for me. He made me a better offer."</p><p>Xiang laughed. "Don't worry. I didn't proselyte all of your men in this castle. Through the years I bribed enough of your equals to save my control over this little place. And he will conduct my introductions."</p><p>He waved at Guo.</p><p>"I will occupy my new place, and you will find a new place."</p><p>He raised his wings. "Imprison him."</p><p>Then he turned at Guo. "And you and me, will make a declaration to the rest of that folk. Let's make it as fast as possible. I waited for that moment for so many years."</p><p>His blue burning eyes rested on the peahen.</p><p>"And you… we will talk later."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Better than nothing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"And that's how it goes," Po finished his report after Hangfan told his message to the others.</p><p>They stood together in a room with some other sheep, Mr. Ping, Soothsayer, who had recovered completely again, Shen, on the opposite of the room with distance to his son Sheng.</p><p>Po's glance rested on Shen particularly. But the bird didn't show emotion.</p><p>"Hey!" Po cried. "She is going to marry another one again. Don't you mind?"</p><p>But the white peacock turned around wordlessly and left the room.</p><p>Po wanted to follow him, but the old goat raised her arm and kept him from doing that.</p><p>Sheng gazed back at his biological father with suspicious eyes. Then he began to speak. "I'm always ready to take them out."</p><p>"That's all very well," the merchant sheep said. "But how do you want to come into the land of the Huns? The borders are closed. Even if not, I have no delivery for the castle this week. We have no pretext to come in."</p><p>Po rubbed his forehead. "Maybe we could say, we are an investigation commission for illegal border walker. Or a tourist group which wants to visit the castle."</p><p>Of course, that was all very incredible, what Po had to agree.</p><p>"Maybe there is still another chance."</p><p>Suddenly a small cicada jumped on Po's head.</p><p>"Tu? What are you doing here? You should stay in the castle and watch the others."</p><p>"What should I do there? And how do you want to come in the stronghold?"</p><p>"Okay, okay," Sheng interrupted. He even didn't ask who Tu was and where he came from. He only wanted to have a plan on the table. "You spoke about another chance and what is it made of?"</p><p>"Well," Tu started. "In front of the border is a hidden tunnel, which leads you under the masonry."</p><p>"Uh?" Po took him from his head. "Why didn't we take that way from the beginning?"</p><p>"Well, there is a snag."</p><p>"A snag?"</p><p>"The tunnel isn't interconnected with the hidden corridors. It only brings you to the prison. Originally it was planned as an escape route, which was built while the castle was under Chinese control for a while. Even Wang doesn't know about its existence."</p><p>Po rubbed his chin. "Well, better one way than nothing."</p><p>"In this case we start immediately," Sheng said and moved to the door.</p><p>"You are very fast," Po said.</p><p>Sheng gave him an angry glance. "I want to spring my mother and my sister."</p><p>"And what about Xiang?"</p><p>Sheng hesitated.</p><p>"You never ask for him. Why not?"</p><p>The young peacock lifted his nose. "He will manage. He always manages things alone. If not, he would be a weakling."</p><p>"Do you really think so?"</p><p>"He said it with his own words," Sheng commented icily. "Otherwise he would be nothing. That's what he used to say."</p><p>With that, he left the room and walked outside.</p><p>Po's eyes wandered over to Mr. Ping.</p><p>"Uhm, I guess you don't come with us, do you?"</p><p>Mr. Ping smiled. "I'm sure you will manage it, Po. And by the way, I think I should favor my leg a while longer."</p><p>"Oh, yes, your leg… YOUR LEG! Why didn't you tell me… oh, your leg, your leg! I forgot!"</p><p>"But Po, it was just sprained. It's already fine again."</p><p>Po put his hands over his head. "I'm so sorry, dad! I haven't thought about… I had so many things in my head."</p><p>"Po, don't worry too much about it. Just go. They need you."</p><p>Po looked at the door. "I think they need someone more than me."</p><hr/><p>Shen stood outside of the village and looked over the snowed morning landscape.</p><p>"Will that be daily routine?" Po muttered when he saw the white peacock again alone and with the back turned to him. But there was no time to talk about that. Instead, he walked closer.</p><p>"Uh, Shen? We start on our way. Do you wanna come with us?"</p><p>First, Shen kept silent. But then he moved his lips. "I think they are in better hands with you than me."</p><p>Nervously Po rubbed over his neck. "Hey, listen. I-I'm sure she… still lov… likes you."</p><p>Shen closed his eyes and lowered his glance. "Why should she do that?"</p><p>The panda rubbed his fingertips. "Uh, well, maybe… I… I could imagine that… You… you know her better than me. Can't you feel something that she feels like this? Come on. You know it and I know it, too."</p><p>He tried to watch the peacock from the side. "Don't we?"</p><p>Shen still didn't look at him.</p><p>"How can you talk about things, about you have no knowledge?"</p><p>Po took a deep, annoyed breath. "Alright, maybe I have no knowledge about such kind of stuff, but I'm sure she has already forgiven you."</p><p>Now the white lord glanced at him. His eyes glinted with anger.</p><p>"How do you want to know?!"</p><p>"Because I already did!"</p><p>The peacock was wide-eyed in surprise.</p><p>But Po didn't change his angry face. "Yes, that's what I think."</p><p>The peacock still didn't say a word.</p><p>"Did you forget everything?" Po sounded like disappointed. "The day in the Valley of Peace? We let fall our weapons. I gave you a peace offer. Even after I knew that you killed my family. You did bad things to me. But that's not the same as you did to her. Alright. You made a mistake. We all make mistakes. But you have an advantage with her. She loved you. Didn't she? And if you say, you are sorry for all, I'm sure she will forgive you what you have done to her. And don't say, no. Alright?"</p><p>He crossed his arms. Suddenly he was surprised about his tone and was afraid he had gone too far. For this reason, he thought it would be the best to leave him now.</p><p>"Let us know if you want to come. We will start in 30 minutes."</p><p>He hesitated. "Oh, and if you want to know how, we will take a little tunnel which guides into the prison. Just an idea. But better than nothing."</p><hr/><p>"Be careful, Po," Mr. Ping said and hugged the panda.</p><p>"I will, dad. Don't worry," Po said and hugged him, too.</p><p>Sheng, who stood next to them, watched them thoughtfully. But just a few seconds.</p><p>"Could we go now?" he asked impatiently.</p><p>"Alright." Po gave Mr. Ping a last squeeze. "We will be back very soon."</p><p>He released the gander, but suddenly he lifted his head in surprise.</p><p>A familiar white peacock walked through the snow, wearing his white-red thick robe and looked at the little group with the deepest indifference. He met the eyes of his son very short, then he turned to the left side and gave the impression that he was waiting for something.</p><p>Po smiled. Shen didn't have to say it, but he was going to come with them.</p><p>"Weeellll," Po proclaimed and turned to the cicada Tu. "Show us the way. We are ready."</p><p>The cicada vibrated her antennas. "Very well then. But just if I can stay on your head."</p><p>"My head?"</p><p>"I'm not a big guy like you to go through the frozen water."</p><p>"Oh, okay."</p><p>With that the little insect took his place and the group moved.</p><p>First Po and Tu, then Sheng.</p><p>Shen waited until they passed him and was going to follow them, but in the next moment, someone pulled his sleeve.</p><p>He looked at the soothsayer, who gave him a pleading smile.</p><p>"Shen. It's not over yet."</p><p>She handed something at him. It was a white feather, which Xia had shown him at their first meeting. Yin-Yu's remembrance of him.</p><p>Shen took the feather and eyed it. Then he pursed it under his wing feathers and continued his way.</p><p>Mr. Ping and Soothsayer kept standing in front of the houses and gazed after them.</p><p>"Good luck," Mr. Ping cried.</p><p>"Thanks, dad," Po cried back and waved at him. "Don't worry. We take care of…"</p><p>Suddenly he slipped and slid down the hill.</p><p>"Po!"</p><p>"Nothing happened!" the gander heard Po's voice. "Everything is okay."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Small talk and silence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Here it is."</p><p>"Where?"</p><p>Po looked around, but all he could see was snow and snow.</p><p>But Tu, who was still sitting on his head, pointed ahead. "Here. Somewhere."</p><p>"I only see snow."</p><p>The cicada jumped down and landed on a stone.</p><p>"The tunnel was never used all these years. It's covered with snow. We have to search for it."</p><p>"Searching?"</p><p>Po let hang his shoulders. They stood in a stony area, but without an entrance of a tunnel.</p><p>Finally, he sighed loudly. "Alright… in this case…"</p><p>He didn't finish his sentence when Sheng passed him and rummaged in the next snow hill.</p><p>"What are you waiting for?" the young peacock asked.</p><p>"Okay, okay." Po got to work in the next snow hill.</p><p>Meanwhile, Shen watched them and let wander his glance.</p><p>"Hey," Po cried at him. "It would be nice if you participate in searching."</p><p>But Shen maintained his silence and walked along a snowed slope. With slow steps he went through the knee-deep snow and watched the landscape exactly.</p><p>Finally, he stopped and eyed the ground.</p><p>"Maybe I found it," Po muttered under a big snow hill, but in the next second, he had to correct. "Uh, no, just a mouse hole."</p><p>Sheng had straightened himself and whipped over his snow-covered robe.</p><p>His skeptical eyes stuck on the white peacock in his red-white coat.</p><p>The younger one snorted and walked over to him. "Is mother all the same to you?"</p><p>His voice sounded angry, but the lord didn't move a face muscle and stroke with his finger feather tips over a light snow wall. Suddenly he jumped and whipped with cutting movements with wings and feet over it.</p><p>The snow wall crumbled, collapsed and gave the way free to a with stones hidden, little hole in the rocks.</p><p>Shortly after, the white peacock put his wings together again and stood there calm and silent.</p><p>Po, still with snow on his head, ran over to them and eyed it.</p><p>"Wow, have you visited the pathfinder?"</p><p>"Life experience," Shen answered plain and simple.</p><p>The panda watched him, then he lifted his thumb. "Respect."</p><p>Now he realized the tensed atmosphere between the two peacocks and tried to relax the situation. "Well, well, well, well… alright, where do we have to go… this way…"</p><p>He pointed ahead into the dark, lathy rock crevice.</p><p>"On the wall hangs an old lantern, as well as I know," Tu added.</p><p>With effort the panda wormed his way through the entrance where cold wet rock walls greeted him.</p><p>"Oh, dear, it needs repair work." He found the lantern and Tu lighted it.</p><p>"Alright," Po cried and peeked outside. "We can go."</p><p>He silenced when he saw Shen and Sheng still standing in front of the cave and looked daggers at each other.</p><p>Shyly Po lifted his hand. "Uh, maybe you should take a time out."</p><p>Suddenly Sheng turned to the left side and slithered into the cave. Po let him pass and looked at Shen. "Uh, do you come…?"</p><p>"Lead on," Shen said with calm but upset voice.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>Po went back into the cave. Shortly he had lifted the lantern Sheng went first. Po sighed and followed him, and heard how Shen walked behind him. Tu took his place on Po's head again and together they followed the tunnel.</p><p>All the time, nobody said a word. Just their steps echoed through the cold, dark tunnel. Po couldn't stand that silence any longer.</p><p>"Hey, what about a little picture game? I'm seeing something what you aren't seeing and that's… green."</p><p>Nobody said something, until Tu spoke: "Him."</p><p>He pointed at Sheng.</p><p>"I'm more green-blue," Sheng complained.</p><p>"Okay," Po apologized. "And white," he added, but very quiet, but Sheng heard it.</p><p>The peacock stopped and turned around to him. A dangerous glint lay in his silver-blue eyes.</p><p>Po swallowed, but then Sheng realized the glance of his father and turned away again.</p><p>Po tried a laugh. "Well, in this case we should play…"</p><p>His eyes met Shen and he interrupted his suggestion. "… we should keep silent, shouldn't we?"</p><p>Shen showed the same icily atmosphere like his son and Po decided to wait until the waves had calmed down.</p><p>Po realized he had interrupted his walking too long and wanted to outrun Sheng, who had gone a few meters more. He ran forward, but he tripped over a little stone and fell against the younger peacock.</p><p>"Hey!" Sheng cried.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, Shen… uh, Sheng… uh… we need another name for you urgently."</p><p>"What about my name?" Sheng asked angrily.</p><p>"Nothing," Po said. "Nothing, you have a nice name. I only thought something special, to avoid any possibility of confusion. I mean… What about Sheng… Shen Junior… Nope… no… ShenJo… SJ. I call you SJ."</p><p>"SJ?"</p><p>"Why not? That's short and sounds cool. Give me high five."</p><p>Sheng stood there like kidded and narrowed his eyes in an upset way.</p><p>Po forced a laugh. "You are really like your father."</p><p>Sheng raised his eyebrows. "How is that?"</p><p>Po waved his hands. "Oh, never mind. Is it still long?"</p><p>This question belonged to Tu, who vibrated his antennas. "Not at all. Not long and we will reach the end."</p><p>Po sighed with relief. "I hope the others are fine."</p><hr/><p>A long way away, many ox soldiers stood in the yard of the castle and looked up to a balcony looking high place, where Guo was standing and spoke a speech for them.</p><p>"Unfortunately, our King Wang is ill. He asked me to carry his introductions while this time."</p><p>It followed a little information about the current situation and that everything would run its course like always. After that, the soldier army disbanded and Guo turned back into the castle, where a figure stood the whole time in a dark corner.</p><p>"Nice speech, Guo," Xiang said sarcastically. "Blare out a raise in salary while you are at it."</p><p>"Hey, it's still my people, right?" Guo said in anger.</p><p>The colorful peacock shrugged his shoulders. "Well then. In this case, take your time to spend your time with them."</p><p>With that, he turned around.</p><p>"And what about you?"</p><p>"I have to take a little talk with my… wife."</p><hr/><p>"I think we are there."</p><p>Po held the lamp higher, but all what he saw were just several blind alleys.</p><p>"That's all very well, but where is the exit, or the entrance, as the case may be."</p><p>Tu jumped down and jumped from one blind end to another.</p><p>"Every cell has his own exit. We just have to choose one of them to come in."</p><p>"Very useful," Po muttered and swung the lantern in all directions.</p><p>"Okay. I would say we taaaaaakeeee… that one."</p><p>"Why that one?" Sheng asked mistrustfully.</p><p>"Kung Fu life experience," Po answered and walked to the left side. "Isn't it?"</p><p>Po looked back at Shen. But the white lord said nothing.</p><p>Po shrugged his shoulders and put the lantern on a little stage.</p><p>"Alright," he muttered, raised his hands and touched over a flagstone over their heads. "This must be the door."</p><p>He pushed. But it didn't move. "Seems to be rusty."</p><p>The panda pushed and pushed, until… "Ha! I made it."</p><p>Dust trickled down. With last forces, he pushed the stone plate aside and the way was free.</p><p>Carefully, he touched the floor around the exit hole.</p><p>"I can smell it," Po muttered. "The smell of crime."</p><p>Nobody of his companions commented his knowledge and the panda dared a look over the edge. In the prison room it was dark. And cold.</p><p>So cold like a prison could be, Po thought and narrowed his eyes. "Alright. I will check the area."</p><p>With that, he pulled himself up and landed on the stone floor. First, he kept laying on the belly, then he crawled forward, always looking for a suspicious sound or person.</p><p>"The Dragon Warrior places his paws on enemy area," he muttered quietly to himself. "Area seems to be clean. Nothing slips my attention… AHHHHHH!"</p><p>A strange hand had grabbed his shoulder.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Xiang's revolution</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After Po's scream, Sheng jumped out into the darkness and struck at the shadow which had bent over the panda.</p><p>Someone fell backwards with loud moaning.</p><p>Meanwhile, Po had picked up himself and brandished his hands in all directions.</p><p>"Who's there?" two voices asked at the same time.</p><p>Suddenly a white shroud hastened over the floor and the lord lifted the lantern and inspected the room with the light.</p><p>In the prison cell stood Po, Sheng and another big figure at the wall.</p><p>Po looked with surprise. "Uh, don't we know him, or is that a doubleganger?"</p><p>King Wang rubbed his chin where Sheng had dealt him a blow.</p><p>"Who in the heck are you?" After some heavy wink he stared at the unusual group.</p><p>"Hey, aren't you from yesterday?"</p><p>Po crossed his arms. "No, we aren't from yesterday, we are from today."</p><p>"Hey, aren't you his son?" King Wang asked when he was seeing Sheng in the dim light.</p><p>"Where is my mother? Where is my sister?" Sheng asked instead of an answer.</p><p>"Your mother? I don't rightly know. Xiang holds sway over her."</p><p>"Did he start it already?"</p><p>"Started what?"</p><p>"He had provoked the incursion deliberately. Or did you think he surrendered because of sloppiness?!"</p><p>Po rubbed his head. "Uh, just a minute. Your fath… uh I mean… well, he, had planned everything?"</p><p>"Let's not bother with such things!" Sheng railed about the panda. "I retrieve my mother and my sister, before he hurt them."</p><p>"I don't understand a thing."</p><p>"Damn it! Don't keep asking me!" The young peacock got upset more and more. "I want to be out of here!"</p><p>Po lifted his hands calmly. "Okay, okay, okay, don't panic." And turned to Shen. "What do you think? Should we?"</p><p>The facial features of the white peacock had become callous. It looked like he was waiting for an explanation too, but Sheng was in deep rush, that he burked an inquiry.</p><p>"Let's go."</p><p>"Alright," Po said and went to the cell door. "How can we open that stupid door?"</p><p>"What is it all about?" King Wang asked behind them.</p><p>Po laughed. "Oh, that's a nice silly story, I mean… Just a minute. What are you doing here?"</p><p>"Xiang had bribed some of my people without my knowledge and threw me in here."</p><p>Po narrowed his eyes. "That Xiang is a bad guy."</p><p>"But who are you?" King Wang asked more.</p><p>Po cleaned his throat. "My name is Po, and I'm the Dragon Warrior."</p><p>King Wang's eyes grew wide. "You are the Dragon Warrior?"</p><p>Po smiled nervously. "Well, maybe it doesn't look like, but it's me."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yes. But would you excuse us, we have to…"</p><p>"HEY! I heard so much about you! I'm wearing that the whole time with me."</p><p>The giant took out something under his fur jacket.</p><p>Po forgot the door and stared at it. That thing looked like a little panda.</p><p>"HeY! Is that… a Dragon Warrior action figure?"</p><p>"The first one." Wang lifted the figure with pride. "It's my lucky charm."</p><p>Po couldn't believe it.</p><p>"Woaoahawo… Hey guys! I have a fan!"</p><p>Shen and Sheng narrowed their eyes unimpressed. "Nice."</p><p>Meanwhile, Po and King Wang walked on Kung Fu eggshells and made a lot of Kung Fu silly movements. "Wuahai!"</p><p>Shen covered his face. It was embarrassing for him.</p><p>"Could we go out of here now?!" Sheng interrupted their dance of joy.</p><p>Both Dragon Warrior fans froze. "Okay, where had we got to? Oh yes, the door."</p><p>But before Po could pay his attention back to the cell door, King Wang laid his hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"Second, wait, before we put on airs… I want to know one thing."</p><p>"Anytime, buddy."</p><p>"What has he to do with everything? Who's he?"</p><p>He pointed at Shen.</p><p>"Uh, that's Shen."</p><p>An angry hiss let Po correct his report.</p><p>"Uh, Lord Shen."</p><p>King Wang was confused. "The white insane peacock with that conquest tantrum? I heard about that the tabloid press. I thought he was dead."</p><p>Po chuckled. "Well, that's a very long story."</p><p>"And what has he to do with all?"</p><p>"Well, he is with her."</p><p>"With whom?"</p><p>"Her."</p><p>"Who? Her?" Wang pointed upwards.</p><p>Po nodded. "Yes, with her."</p><p>"Impossible. She is with him."</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>"Him."</p><p>"Alright, alright. Who is him?"</p><p>"Xiang. And who do you mean?"</p><p>"Yin-Yu."</p><p>"How can it be?"</p><p>Po lifted his hands. "Alright, alright. Wait. He and she were together before he came…"</p><p>"Who is he and she?"</p><p>"Aggghh!" Po tore his hair. "Shen and Yin-Yu came together before Xiang. Xiang married Yin-Yu, and then came Xia and SJ…. I mean Shen… I mean Sheng. (Damn it.)"</p><p>King Wang started to understand. "That means, he and she were first and then he came and was with her…"</p><p>"Yes, but Xia and S… Sheng are from him."</p><p>"Who him?"</p><p>"Him."</p><p>Po pointed at Shen.</p><p>"From him?"</p><p>Po nodded. "Yes."</p><p>More than confused Wang scratched his head.</p><p>Po petted his arm. "It's a complicated story, I know. I'm a beginner with that too. But first, we should see how we come out here and to take them out."</p><p>"Who?"</p><p>"OPEN THE DOOR AT LAST!" Sheng screamed.</p><p>Po nodded hastily. "Yes, yes, yes, yes… I do immediately, I…"</p><p>All stared with open mouths. The door had already opened and Shen stood in the corridor.</p><p>"Anyone wants to follow me?" Shen asked and walked away slowly.</p><p>King Wang couldn't explain how the white bird had opened the door so quickly.</p><p>"Life experience, I think," Po said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. All or nothing with your life</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was in the afternoon, but the sky was dark like at the beginning of the night. Dark clouds covered the sky and announced new snow.</p><p>The peahen watched them through the window and wished she could fly away. Footsteps of a bird sounded through the corridor. Firm and slow. She didn't move, didn't turn around. She knew his walking pace.</p><p>They stopped. She could feel his glance behind the door in her back.</p><p>A loud rush of the door let her wince. Then someone slammed it again. He carried out his harsh movements deliberately, just to see her fear.</p><p>She still didn't turn around, but her heart stopped a silent moment. His feet started to move again in her direction. Closer and closer. Very slow and relaxed.</p><p>She tried to concentrate what happened outside. He approached next to her at the window and stopped. She realized him in the corner of her eyes. He seemed to look out of the window too. The blue peacock lifted his hands and tapped his finger feathers together.</p><p>"Are you watching the snow again?" he asked mockingly. "Of course. Like always, don't you?"</p><p>He gave a condescending smirk.</p><p>"You always had a sense of useless things."</p><p>He turned around, but she felt, that he gave her a nasty side-glance.</p><p>"Is that the reason why the universe brought you to be a nobody?"</p><p>Carefully he wiped with his wing over a chair and took a place on it.</p><p>"Stop staring outside! Come here!"</p><p>Immediately she turned around to him, but she didn't look at his face. With lowered glance, she came closer until she reached him.</p><p>He waved with his wing and pointed at the floor.</p><p>"Sit down."</p><p>Without protest, she kneeled down on the ground. She knew his commands.</p><p>He leaned back in the chair and watched her with suspicion. His wings on the armrests constricted more.</p><p>"Look at me!" he ordered.</p><p>She lifted her head without hesitation.</p><p>His blue narrowed eyes met her silver ones. He - full of optimism and anger, and she - sad and afraid.</p><p>"You are looking for so many useless things." He put his hands together. "Am I so useless for you?"</p><p>He reached out his hand and patted her cheek.</p><p>"You were always good for useless things."</p><p>Then he smiled.</p><p>"But useful for my plan."</p><p>Xiang gave her a last light slap and released her.</p><p>Then he put the end of his finger feathers together, leaned back in the chair and smiled mockingly, when he realized her shocked face.</p><p>"Did you really think I would let me catch for nothing? How do you want to come into a castle on an easy way?"</p><p>Yin-Yu was just staring at her husband.</p><p>"I knew, King Wang would never kill me in front of your eyes."</p><p>The peacock got up and walked a few steps away from her.</p><p>"Don't be so afraid. Of course. It was my wish that the Hun guys attack our town to arrest us all. My father never managed to take his castle under control. But I would make it. And I made it. I made enough provisions for that. Guo was one of the first ones, who agreed with me."</p><p>He stroked over some feather fingers. "And step by step, he persuaded more and more to follow me, and to get me out of the prison. And to deprive King Wang of his power."</p><p>He looked behind. Yin-Yu was still speechless.</p><p>Xiang smirked. "Unfortunately, I couldn't win the whole army over. It was a little, little risk for us, that they could hurt us in our home. But it was worth it."</p><p>The peahen lifted her wings and covered her mouth and couldn't hold back herself.</p><p>"You risked the life of your family!"</p><p>The peacock shrugged the shoulders. "Well, so what."</p><p>"We could be dead!"</p><p>But she was more shocked about that he didn't rebuke her for her protest. He seemed to enjoy her desperation.</p><p>"Who cares? Even if so, there are enough better women, which have a stronger character than you."</p><hr/><p>Carefully, very carefully, Po peeked around the corner.</p><p>Two big bulls were standing at the entrance of the prison. He retracted and looked at the others.</p><p>"Alright. Discussion of the situation."</p><p>He pointed at Wang. "As long as we don't know whether of your soldiers is loyal to you, everyone could be a potential enemy. Well then. First, we have to come out of the prison. But as inconspicuous as possible. First step, knocking out the guards."</p><p>"I will do," Sheng said and ran forward.</p><p>King Wang had no chance to say something. In the next second, Sheng was next to the two surprised ox and kicked them hard. But one of them took the chance to scream a loud "Come over he…!" Then they lay on the floor.</p><p>Po put his forefingers together. "Could you have done it a little quieter?"</p><p>The following howling and rumbling of heavy feet got an answer to his rueful question.</p><p>But Sheng showed himself unimpressed. With a loud scream of attack, he jumped at the first running guard and smashed him to the ground.</p><p>"Maybe we should help him," Po said and started his Kung Fu fight.</p><p>Wang and Shen came with and a chaos with guards began.</p><p>"They don't stop," Po muttered. "So I think, they aren't on your side, are they?"</p><p>"It seems to be," Wang said and was forced to strike the next one of his own.</p><p>"Alright, guy!" Po cried around. "We have a little minus quotient."</p><p>He got angrier when more and more guards appeared.</p><p>"What was Xiang thinking?" he muttered. "That's sheer madness."</p><hr/><p>"And what about the ambush in the underground?" Yin-Yu found the courage to ask that question.</p><p>Xiang waved his wing. "Just a little show. You know, I like to have a little dramaturgy. Originally it was my plan to go through the secret passages to make a little expedition. But some strange guards were too watchful and hunted me. And you crossed my way. I can't stand annoying persons. Especially of strange ones. But that's unimportant. Guo came before all uncorrupted soldiers grabbed me, and I staged my re-capture."</p><p>"For what?" The peahen had trouble to order her thoughts.</p><p>"Is that so important for you? I like to have my fun."</p><p>"Fun? I was scared. Weren't you afraid about your son and your daughter?"</p><p>He snorted. "Your daughter? Why should I? She is a stupid child. And your son?"</p><p>A derisory smile crossed his beak. "I gave him the order to undergo a last test."</p><hr/><p>"We need a better plan!" Po cried.</p><p>Suddenly a little thing jumped on his head.</p><p>"Not far away is another secret door," Tu said over his face.</p><p>"Really?" Po hit the next guard and looked around. "Where?"</p><p>"Follow me."</p><p>Tu jumped away.</p><p>"Hey guys. Follow me."</p><p>A loud sound let him wince. With a loud cry, the young peacock was thrown through the air and crashed against a wall.</p><p>He moaned and couldn't stand up immediately again.</p><p>The big ox soldier snorted with satisfaction and swung the ax.</p><p>Sheng blinked, but his back ached too badly and he sank back to the ground.</p><p>The Hun soldier went hurtling towards him, but a white cutting lighting aborted his run. The giant fell aside with a loud scream. But this couldn't stop him. With a new attack he lunged at the white peacock, but Shen's quick movements and hard kicks with feet and wings confused the big ox. Finally, Shen used the ax of him and crashed it against the attacker's head.</p><p>A last cry and the ox stayed down. Heavy panting the lord stopped next to him and stared down at his knocked-out enemy.</p><p>After he was sure that he wouldn't stand up again he relaxed his body and came back to his normal posture.</p><p>He looked back. Panting Sheng lay on the side. Their eyes met, but without a warm emotion. Shen with reproach, Sheng with humiliation.</p><p>"Hey, hey!" Po's voice cried at them. "Little change of plan. We gonna make a little afternoon break! Without lunch."</p><p>Like a roller, King Wang passed them and grabbed the body of Sheng. Shen saw how the guards came closer, so that he was forced to flee like the others.</p><p>Around a corner, Tu opened a hidden door in the wall. As fast as they could, they disappeared inside and closed it again.</p><p>The thundering feet of the passing guards died away after a while.</p><p>All were out of puff and exhausted, but they regained their composure.</p><p>"Where does that way lead?" Po asked Tu.</p><p>"To the higher stages," the cicada answered. "Just follow me."</p><p>Wang and Po followed the request, until the panda realized that the others stayed behind.</p><p>He turned around.</p><p>Sheng was still laying on the floor, while Shen was watching him.</p><p>Po was going to go back, but then he decided to go a few meters more away and to let them alone.</p><p>It was dark in the corridor, but Shen could see how Sheng covered his head with a wing.</p><p>"Why do you try to prove yourself the whole time?" the white peacock asked.</p><p>A loud exhausted sigh of his son sounded. "I tried to correct my mistakes."</p><p>He paused, gasping for air.</p><p>"My training for nothing."</p><p>Shen narrowed his eyes. "Is it that, what Xiang's plan included?"</p><p>First the younger peacock didn't reply. But after a quiet sob…</p><p>"If the Huns attacks our town, he wanted to make a last test with me. He would allow that his Huns would fight against me. If I defeat them, I would be worthy of being his successor. If not…"</p><p>He lowered his glance. "I failed."</p><p>Tears welled his eyes with rage. "I can't even protect myself here."</p><p>There fell a deep silence. The white lord heard how the boy tried to restrain weeping. He rubbed his wing tips together. He had never talked with his own parents about such things. He didn't know how to talk about it now. Finally, he bent a little down and came a little closer.</p><p>"Do you know, when I was in your age, I wasn't as good as you are now."</p><p>There was a sobbing sound, but it sounded more like a panting "Really?"</p><p>"Well, maybe not so nearly. Your fight style is not bad. But you are a little bit too…"</p><p>He searched for a fitting word. "Too overzealous."</p><p>"Anyone who hesitates is a loser, Xiang says."</p><p>"Forget everything what Xiang said!" Shen screamed. "And if you don't want to die, then listen to me! Alright?"</p><p>He couldn't see it detailed, but Sheng seemed to be shocked and confused.</p><p>The lord cleaned his throat. "What I want to say is… I already missed your birth, but I don't want to be the first one who has to see your funeral."</p><p>He avoided his glance. "And believe me, I know the feeling of failing. But there is always a way of standing up."</p><p>He didn't want to enlarge upon the topic and held out his hand at him.</p><p>"Now come on. Everything else we can talk about it later."</p><p>First, Sheng hesitated. Then he grabbed it and Shen helped him to stand on his feet again.</p><p>But before they continued their way, Sheng muttered something.</p><p>"Now I understand, why mother had grieved about you."</p><p>The lord paused for a moment. "Did she?"</p><p>The young peacock didn't want to talk about it more, but maybe he didn't need to say more.</p><hr/><p>Po and Wang had waited in a lonely corner and counted the seconds.</p><p>When they appeared, Po lifted his head with excitement.</p><p>"And? Did you remove all ambiguities?"</p><p>Shen gave him an unsatisfied look. "Not all yet."</p><hr/><p>"Your son was too weak."</p><p>Yin-Yu kneeled on the floor and was near to tears. "My son? He is… also your son."</p><p>Not biological, she knew…</p><p>"A weak one has no right to be my follower. Same to your daughter."</p><p>She held a wing on her chest. "She is stronger than you think."</p><p>"What is a life worth of a female? Because of her, my whole plan was delayed."</p><p>He turned around. "But there is still something more, that built a question in my mind."</p><p>The peahen was afraid of a coming disaster. Xiang's eyes were more minatory than usual.</p><p>"Who was that white peacock?"</p><p>In her head, everything went black. "I – I knew him from my childhood."</p><p>Xiang showed himself more relaxed. "In this case, it doesn't matter where he is now."</p><p>She was horrified. "What have you done to him?"</p><p>"He got a cold bath. He will never be thirsty again."</p><p>She stood up. "But you told me, you would take care that he comes out of the castle."</p><p>He pointed down to the floor.</p><p>"Under our feet, there is a nice river. Of course, it will bring him out - and out of the world."</p><p>He watched how the peahen broke down psychically.</p><p>"No, you didn't…"</p><p>She turned around, but she didn't find a chair. Instead, she leaned against something else.</p><p>Xiang clicked his tongue snidely. "He already didn't look well."</p><p>He put his palms together and watched her. "Is that a problem for you?"</p><p>His smiling pulled the rug out from under her feet. She tried to stay, but she trembled.</p><p>"So, a friend in your childhood? It doesn't look like."</p><p>A female scream cut the air when Xiang jumped at her and pressed her with his feet claws on the floor. "What a role does he play in your life?!"</p><hr/><p>"Did you hear that?"</p><p>The group stopped and listened like Po did. "There was a loud voice. I think."</p><p>"If you want to take a look," Tu said and pointed to the side. "There is a moving wall next to us, where you can come into the corridors on the upper floor."</p><p>"Maybe we should open it and take a look."</p><p>King Wang rubbed his head. "I had never thought that they are so many gaps in my home."</p><p>Po chuckled. "If you knew what mysterious gaps in Jade Palace I have found."</p><p>Carefully, he pushed the wall away and peeked through it.</p><p>The corridor was empty. No guards. Maybe Xiang had sent them away.</p><p>"Over there is a door."</p><p>King Wang looked over his shoulder. "It's the room where Yin-Yu had been lived."</p><p>"Let me out of here!" a female voice shouted.</p><p>"That's my sister!" Sheng cried.</p><p>"You mean Xia? Alright. Follow me."</p><p>Po ran over the corridor to the door and knocked against the wood.</p><p>"Xia? Is that you?"</p><p>First, there was silence. "Is that you, Po?"</p><p>"Yes, it's me. Are you alone?"</p><p>"They took mother away."</p><p>"We know. Wait, I will open the door…"</p><p>A fast white light and Shen had cut through the interlock.</p><p>Po scratched his head. "Well, that's the easiest way to do it."</p><p>Sheng was the first one who pushed open the doors.</p><p>Xia froze, when she saw him. "You are still alive?"</p><p>But Sheng grabbed her hands. "Where is mother?"</p><p>"She wanted to speak with King Wang."</p><p>The surprise of the girl grew more when she saw Wang in front of her.</p><p>"Don't panic," Po said and waved his hands. "It looks complicated. But there is always a logical explanation for all."</p><p>Her eyes became wide, when Shen went through the door frame.</p><p>"And for him too," Po added with hesitation.</p><p>"I will explain you everything," her brother calmed her. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."</p><p>All pricked up their ears.</p><p>"Oh, oh. We receive visitors," Po said.</p><p>"Out of here."</p><p>Sheng pulled his sister, but the little group was forced to stop when many big guards ran at them through the corridor.</p><p>Sheng hid his sister behind him. Po pressed his fists together. "I will make it."</p><p>"Alright," Shen said. "Take them, but Xiang is mine."</p><p>The panda stared at him with excitement. "Oh, am I hearing the special word through the universe of your subconsciousness, which starts with "L"?"</p><p>Po grinned. "Yeah, you are still in l-o…ooooo rd. A lord. You are still a lord? Right?"</p><p>The panda swallowed down the word "love" after Shen had given him a very warning filled glance. Po rubbed his palms together, ducked his head when Shen looked at him so icily.</p><p>Then the peacock turned away and left the others.</p><p>"Oooo-kay," Po said. "Here we go."</p><p>King Wang and Sheng were ready too.</p><p>"Don't worry." Po shouted behind the white peacock. "Everything is under control!"</p><hr/><p>Xiang added his pressure with his foot claws on the woman's throat, while his other foot started to hurt her chest. "You were right, that you told me before our marriage it would be a mistake to marry you."</p><p>Yin-Yu got tears in her eyes.</p><p>"I-it hur-ts."</p><p>"Shhh!" the peacock whispered. "How many times should I tell you? You talk if I allow you."</p><p>He dug his claws deeper.</p><p>"After so many years, I see it was a mistake. You were just a millstone around my neck. It's not a surprise for me that your mother bit the dust so early."</p><p>He bent more down. "For the last time: What did you have with him?"</p><p>She kept her lips closed.</p><p>Xiang sighed and gave his claws a pull. "In this case, I have to torture you."</p><p>Suddenly a vase crashed against him and threw him away from her. Lying in shards he lifted himself up. The doors of the room stood open.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Between you and him</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With panting, Yin-Yu stroked over her neck, staring at Xiang, who lay not far away between the broken porcelain. But his rage filled eyes were not fixated on her. Still trembling, she dared to move and rolled over to the other side. The woman petrified. Her senses were so paralyzed that she didn't hear Xiang's cursing: "How dare you!? How did you survive?"</p><p>The blue peacock jumped up, but a warning rising of the white peacock's wing let him stop with surprise that the intruder showed no fear. No relenting. The red-black eyes gave him no big attention. Just for her. For a split of seconds. But it was enough to freeze the time.</p><p>Nothing seemed to exist in the world anymore.</p><p>They kept the eye contact. Just because he gave the impression of command to do so.</p><p>She obeyed. But without knowing how to react.</p><p>Relieved? Afraid? Asking whether she was dead?</p><p>There was no power in her to move her lips.</p><p>Every emotion, every thought, was mixed in an empty mess.</p><p>In another second, she wanted to run at him, but at the same time she wanted to run away.</p><p>Her body started to tremble. Her mind lost in a terrible inner conflict.</p><p>Finally, she gave in and sank to the floor, only waiting for a verdict of him.</p><p>The lord interpreted her facial expression and narrowed his eyes.</p><p>"Are you deaf?!" Xiang shouted.</p><p>Now Shen's eyes wandered back at him.</p><p>"Leave her alone," the white lord ordered in a cold tone.</p><p>The other peacock gasped in disgust.</p><p>But Shen gave him no big attention and looked back at her. The woman lay still submissive a few meters away from him.</p><p>"Come here."</p><p>The peahen ducked her head while the lord spoke to her.</p><p>What has she to expect?</p><p>But Shen was not deterred.</p><p>"Come."</p><p>She was afraid. The question was of whom the most? Of him or him?</p><p>"You stay!" Xiang's voice commanded at her.</p><p>Her eyes were still focused on the white peacock. The one who had loved her many years ago, behind her the one, who had made her life a hell.</p><p>"Yin-Yu." The lord's words electrified her like a lightning. His voice was serious, but not threateningly like yesterday. She dared to look deeper in his eyes. His iris showed a flash of something familiar. A shining like in their night.</p><p>"One step!" Xiang threatened her. "One step, and I will kill you."</p><p>She froze.</p><p>But Shen kept calm. "No, he will not do that."</p><p>Xiang gasped for air with rage.</p><p>Meanwhile, the white peacock lifted his hand and moved one feather finger in his direction, still watching her and his rival very carefully like a falcon.</p><p>"Come here to me."</p><p>To Xiang's anger, she stood up slowly and very carefully. When she stood almost on her feet, the blue peacock grabbed a knife from the table and threw it at her. The sharp weapon had almost cut her throat, when another shooting threw out the knife and let it crash into the wall.</p><p>The white knife feather stuck next to it.</p><p>In disbelieve Xiang stared at it. But then his eyes wandered back at the white intruder. The lord kept his eyes glued to him, but at the same time, he watched how Yin-Yu passed him with fast steps. Their eyes met for a split second, but Shen didn't want to waste much time and pushed her gently behind him around the corner into the corridor.</p><p>With scornful looks, the two males stared at each other again.</p><p>Xiang narrowed his eyes more. "Who are you?"</p><p>"Is that so important for you?" Shen asked back and held out two spears. "Fight against me."</p><p>With these words, he propped one of it over the floor and it slithered at his feet.</p><p>Xiang took it. The fight was opened.</p><p>First, there was silence. Then they took their positions very slowly. Suddenly they ran at each other. Their spears knocked together every time. Yin-Yu peeked around the corner and watched them with anxious face.</p><hr/><p>"YEAH!" Po cried and knocked out the next attacker.</p><p>Also Sheng did a good job. Including King Wang, who had no troubles to fight against his own men.</p><p>Meanwhile, Xia had taken a vase and threw it against the head of a soldier.</p><p>Po clapped his hands. "Yes, that's it, just the way I showed you. More momentum and don't forget avoiding."</p><hr/><p>The two peacocks were still fighting in the room and knocked over every object which lay in their way. Nobody wanted to give up. Their forces were like the same, but in some frequencies, Xiang seemed to have his doubts about his victory. Of course, Shen could have applied his knives, but he wanted to have a fair fight. At least as long it was possible.</p><p>At that moment, Xiang picked up a small table and held it over his head. "Let's make it a little more exciting on the fresh air."</p><p>He threw it.</p><hr/><p>"I think they've got enough," Po panted and watched how the rest of the soldiers ran away while the other half lay on the ground.</p><p>King Wang rubbed his fists. "And where is that fight bird?"</p><p>Po waved his hands. "Oh, as well as I know him, I'm sure he is somewhere in a fight."</p><p>Suddenly there was a loud crash outside. Quickly they ran to the next window and saw, how a table had crashed through another window and fell down along the castle walls. Shortly after, two peacocks jumped out.</p><p>Po made an "aha" gesture. "What did I say?"</p><hr/><p>With fear, Yin-Yu watched how the peacocks ran over the roofs. Xiang had jumped out first, Shen after him.</p><p>The peahen couldn't stand it any longer. She turned around and ran through the corridor.</p><p>"Hey!" another voice cried.</p><p>She stopped when Po stood there with open arms. "I see you are alright!"</p><p>"Mother!"</p><p>The surprise of her rose when her daughter ran to her.</p><p>"Xia?"</p><p>She couldn't believe who stood next to her.</p><p>"Sheng!"</p><p>Filled with relief, she wrapped her arms around her son.</p><p>Po was close to tears when he watched how the family fell around their necks.</p><p>More than 20 seconds passed, until they loosened the embrace.</p><p>"But how it that possible?" Yin-Yu asked, still holding Sheng's face in her wings.</p><p>"I know everything, mother," Sheng explained and forced her wings down. "But where is father?"</p><p>"What… father?" The peahen mother was still confused. What father did he mean?</p><p>"People," Po chimed in. "We should follow them."</p><p>"Looks like they are going into the parade ground," Wang said who was still watching the two fighting peacocks.</p><p>"Alright," Po said. "But even if we catch them there, what if more soldiers meet us?"</p><p>Wang started to walk down the corridor.</p><p>"I go to the soldier barrack. There is an old friend of mine. I can trust him every time. Just if I have luck."</p><p>"Oh, okay," Po said. "Good luck."</p><p>"In the meantime, you should bring them in a safe shelter."</p><p>King Wang pointed at Yin-Yu and her children, but the peahen shook her head.</p><p>"No, I have to see him! Bring my children away."</p><p>"No, mother," Xia and Sheng cried at the same time. "It's also our concern."</p><p>"Okay," Po said quickly. "We go all to him."</p><hr/><p>A cold wind blew over the roofs. But the two peacocks paid no attention to it. Xiang avoided a hit of Shen's spear and jumped on the top of a pinnacle.</p><p>"How dare you to intrude on my privacy?"</p><p>Shen snorted in disgust. "Why does it care you? She has no meaning for you."</p><p>The blue peacock chuckled mockingly. "But you care for her, don't you?"</p><p>He dug his claws firmly on the little tower roof and looked down at the white peacock derisively. "What do you hope for this?" An ugly smile placed his lips. "Let me celebrate my won war and disappear."</p><p>Shen's face darkened. "After you wanted to murder me?"</p><p>Xiang shrugged his shoulders. "I have to admit, maybe it was a little too hard, but come on, you have to understand. Nobody has the right to control my life."</p><p>He grinned. "Or her life? Tell me, what does that bitch means more?"</p><p>Shen narrowed his eyes in a dangerous way and jumped at him.</p><p>But Xiang had expected that reaction and climbed down the wall. Shortly after their feet touched stone ground again, Xiang turned around to him. Still with a nasty smile.</p><p>"Or is she your slut? It wouldn't be a surprise for me."</p><p>The blue peacock jumped away, when Shen wanted to smash him down with his weapon.</p><p>As quickly as he could, Xiang sprinted away until he reached a free wide yard.</p><p>But he didn't come far.</p><p>In the next second he felt a harsh pull on his long feathers. He was flung and flew a few meters away. But before he could defend himself with his spear, he was knocked out of his hand. Then another hard kick in his chest and he lay on the floor. Over his throat the sharp end of the spear.</p><p>Xiang panted in exhausting. But then he smiled darkly. "You are a good fighter."</p><p>Shen growled in anger and pushed the tip more forward, that it almost touched the skin of his rival.</p><p>"Take it back," the white lord hissed.</p><p>Despite his situation, Xiang lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "What?"</p><p>"You know what I mean. Either you take it back or it was your last breath."</p><p>Suddenly Xiang laughed hoarsely.</p><p>"Oh, dear. Do you really think I would be a fool? I'm using to take a joker in my fights."</p><p>A loud snap with his fingers and soldiers surrounded them.</p><p>Meanwhile, Po and the others had arrived the edge of the yard. Yin-Yu put her wings over her mouth with shock, while Po looked around. There were too many of them. Shen had no chance.</p><p>"Hey, that's unfair!" the panda cried.</p><p>Xiang chuckled and looked up at his torturer.</p><p>"You or me. Make your decision."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Unveil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The soldiers came closer.</p><p>Shen peeked around. There were too many of them. Without avoiding the gleeful eyes of his rival, he lowered the spear in his hands slowly. Finally, he threw it away.</p><p>Xiang stood up, still his nasty smile on his lips.</p><p>Suddenly Shen made a quick movement. In a split of a mini second, Xiang managed to jump aside, but the cutting pain of the feather knife let him cry.</p><p>In the next second, the soldiers jumped at the white peacock and pressed him on the ground.</p><p>Meanwhile, Xiang held his left wing with his right hand.</p><p>Guo ran at him. "My king, are you alright?"</p><p>Xiang looked under his right hand. Blood colored his blue feathers.</p><p>Guo touched for his knife. "Should we strike him down?"</p><p>The blue peacock panted, but he kept standing.</p><p>"No," he replied, while he tore off a part of his robe and stanched it around his injured arm.</p><p>The cut wound wasn't bad, but that barefaced attack made Xiang madder than the pain.</p><p>His angry eyes looked down at the white on the floor lying peacock. Xiang rubbed his bleeding lesion.</p><p>"But I will give that in the same way."</p><p>He waved his unharmed wing to a soldier and asked for a spear.</p><p>"Stretch him."</p><p>In the next second, the ox soldiers tugged the white lord up, two grabbed his wings and spread them apart.</p><p>Xiang rubbed his blood on the spear which still glued on his feathers from holding the wound. Impatiently he watched how the lord stood in front of him.</p><hr/><p>Yin-Yu put her hands over her beak when she was seeing that picture from the distance.</p><p>"He will hurt him badly."</p><p>The peahen ran forward, but Po managed to grab her arm. "No! Wait! Wang will be here soon."</p><p>She pulled wildly. "That's too late. Let me go!"</p><hr/><p>Shen didn't struggle, but his body language showed a big resistance. With tensed muscles he looked at the blue lord, who responded his anger with nastiness.</p><p>"You made a mistake," Lord Xiang said darkly.</p><p>The white peacock narrowed his eyes in a dangerous way.</p><p>"It was my pleasure."</p><p>Xiang lifted the spear.</p><p>"No, Xiang! Stop that!"</p><p>Both peacocks stared in disbelief how the peahen placed herself between him and her husband. But that couldn't impress the blue lord long.</p><p>"Out of my way, damn woman!"</p><p>He pushed her away. She fell to the ground.</p><p>"How many times should I order you to shut your mouth?!"</p><p>He was going to throw the spear at her.</p><p>"No, leave my mother alone!"</p><p>With big eyes, Po watched how the two children ran to them.</p><p>"Am I talking to a wall?"</p><p>With a deep sigh, the dragon warrior followed them.</p><p>Xia and Sheng shielded and stood right beside their mother.</p><p>When Xiang saw Sheng, he became cautious. "How did you come here?"</p><p>"That wasn't part of your plan, was it?" Sheng retorted back.</p><p>With a worried look, Po looked at Yin-Yu. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"You again?" Xiang wasn't amused to see the white-black dragon warrior.</p><p>Po rubbed his head with a nervous smile. "I'm tourist only."</p><p>"Don't dare to harm mother again," Xia ordered at him.</p><p>The blue peacock growled. "You've got a big mouth, cheeky girl. I will knock the nonsense out of you."</p><p>The blue lord waved his wing. "Get rid of them!"</p><p>The soldiers grabbed the two young birds and tugged them away from their mother.</p><p>But Sheng managed to come free and jumped at Xiang. But he had expected everything and threw the young peacock away with a hard kick from his feet.</p><p>One claw scuffed his throat and Sheng fell to the ground with panting. In the next second, he was picked up by a soldier roughly.</p><p>With sneering Xiang looked at him. "No wonder that you are so weak."</p><p>Xia couldn't hold back her frustration. "I hate you!"</p><p>Lord Xiang showed no interest. "Your words are worthless. I have other things to do."</p><p>He paid his attention back to the white peacock, who was still captured in the soldier's grabs.</p><p>When he walked closer, Yin-Yu managed to come back on her feet.</p><p>"No, please, don't hurt him."</p><p>All what she reaped was a malicious look.</p><p>"Tell me one reason, why I shouldn't torture him?"</p><p>With that Xiang held the tip of the sharp weapon very dangerously over the lord's neck artery.</p><p>Carefully, she pushed the spear away. She caught his provoking look with her silver eyes.</p><p>"Just please, let him go."</p><p>She put her wings on his. Her voice sounded pleadingly.</p><p>"Let's go home. After that you will feel better."</p><p>She tried a smile. Xiang narrowed his eyes.</p><p>Xia cried when her mother's face turned to the right side and showed the blue peacock her burning cheek of his slap. Blood of Xiang's wound stuck on it.</p><p>Po gasped for air in disgust and tensed his muscles.</p><p>Shen didn't feel different, but there was no chance for him to make a stand directly. He started to scream an insult, but a solider closed his mouth with his hand.</p><p>For a few seconds, there was silence, until the lady lifted her wing slowly and rubbed over her hurting face. Her eyes became wet, but there were no tears.</p><p>Her glance wandered back at the blue lord.</p><p>"That's enough! I leave you!"</p><p>Xiang started a chuckle.</p><p>"Where do you want to be without me?"</p><p>Yin-Yu cried in pain when he grabbed her arm brutally and held her tight. "I will not let you go." He smiled evilly. "Until death do us apart."</p><p>Maybe he expected she would drop her gaze, but instead she pushed him away.</p><p>"We were never a couple! The whole time not."</p><p>For a little moment, Xiang seemed to be confused, but Yin-Yu didn't give him the time to retort something back.</p><p>"I had given up everything for you!" she cried. "My hometown, my past, everything! I wanted to give you a family, despite the marriage, which you have forced to me. But you threw it in the mud. I told you, you should never marry me. And I had one reason."</p><p>She looked at her children. "I was too afraid."</p><p>The peahen turned around and lay her wings over Shen's shoulders. "I never wanted to say that, but -" She hesitated for a moment. Her glance glued at their children, but there was no way back for her. The white peacock could feel her fear so intensely, but she found the courage to look at Xiang with a firm look.</p><p>"He is the father. I was pregnant before we married."</p><p>Po wished he could become invisible now. Nobody could say what was running through Xiang's mind.</p><p>But everybody could guess, it was no good.</p><p>The panda ducked his head when he saw how Xiang's hand tensed around the spear hilt.</p><p>Suddenly he squalled and rushed upon her. The peahen dodged his onslaught and the spear drilled into the stone floor.</p><p>Yin-Yu stopped, but Xiang pulled the spear out again and made a new attack on her.</p><p>"YOU SCUM OF A DAMN…!"</p><p>"I – I wanted to tell you!" she interrupted him with lifted hands. "But I was afraid you could hurt them."</p><p>Xiang bristled with rage and hit with the spear at her. Yin-Yu did her best to avoid it.</p><p>"Drop it!" Shen cried and tried to free himself.</p><p>Including Po wanted to give her some help, but the soldiers didn't let him a chance to make a stand. "Hey, I'm a warrior of peace, too, guys."</p><p>The blue bird hunted the woman over the whole yard.</p><p>"Stop that!" Yin-Yu cried. "I'm warning you!"</p><p>"I hang your dead body over my house door!"</p><p>There was no doubt for the woman that there was no way to disabuse him of his intention.</p><p>She took a run and dashed against the wall, but she only pushed herself away from it, turned around and speeded at him with a loud yell.</p><p>Xiang didn't stop and lunged out to hit her with the sharp weapon. But the foot of her met him at full tilt. Xiang was flung away. He crashed against Guo, and both crashed against the next wall. Moaning the two antagonists leaned against it.</p><p>Po stood there with wide open month. "Wow, the Shèjī-Kick."</p><p>In deep admiration his glance rested on the woman who had sunk to the ground with exhaustion.</p><p>Everyone was speechless.</p><p>Suddenly Shen took the chance and kicked both soldiers away. That animated the rest of the soldiers, but Po was tired to play the role of the victim and took a fight position.</p><p>"Stay away, or we will kick you into the sky!"</p><p>To his surprise, the soldiers froze and backed away.</p><p>After a little confusion phase, Po lifted his nose. "Yeah, you know when it's time to surrender, don't you?"</p><p>"Um," Sheng interrupted him and pointed behind the panda. "I think they went back because of them."</p><p>Po turned around. Not far away stood more other soldiers, guided by King Wang.</p><p>"Oh, that explains everything."</p><p>"Sorry for the delay," Wang apologized.</p><p>Po smiled. "That's okay. We are almost ready."</p><p>Wang nodded and waved at his own soldiers. "Arrest everyone here!"</p><p>They obeyed and split up.</p><p>"Anybody hurt?"</p><p>Po smiled. "More or less. The victims camp over there."</p><p>With big eyes the Hun king looked at the still dazed peacock and ox.</p><p>"Who was that?"</p><p>The panda pointed at Yin-Yu. "She."</p><p>Wang looked at the peahen in disbelief. "She?"</p><p>"Indeed."</p><p>"How did she do that?"</p><p>"Yes, wherefrom do you know this kick?"</p><p>Meanwhile, Xia and Sheng sat next to their mother, who was rubbing her hurting leg.</p><p>"I trained it covertly," she explained. "But I never trusted to use it."</p><p>She looked at her children. "Because of you."</p><p>But then she dropped her gaze again. "And of someone other."</p><p>A sigh met her ears. Shen stood one meter away, looking down at her. But then he walked forward. Xia and Sheng made way for him. The peahen didn't dare to look at him.</p><p>Only after Shen kneeled down to her, and started to take her hands in his, she lifted her face.</p><p>After so long time, his red-black eyes scrutinized every facet of her silver ones. After a while, her tension left her. Carefully he helped her up, holding her in his arms.</p><p>His gaze became serious. He touched her face.</p><p>"Tell me, did you kill your mother?"</p><p>She closed her eyes slowly and he knew the answer. She leaned her head against his chest.</p><p>"She left me with no option."</p><p>Her trembling body pressed against his. But there was no reproach in his reaction.</p><p>Po watched them, but his attention drifted away to Xiang, when soldiers started to pick him up. The collision had been too much for him. With a mocking grin, Po came closer and looked down at the moaning peacock. "Oh, so weak? Well then, get well soon."</p><p>With that, he waved with his fingers over the forehead at him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Flurry of snow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The turmoil gradually subsided. All soldiers who were bribed by Xiang were taken away. The blue peacock was still a bit dazed so that it offered almost no resistance. But Wang was sure that he would make a fuss very soon again. Po joked a few words with the king, but kept looking at Shen and Yin-Yu, who were still in their arms. But after a while they loosened their embrace and drifted apart a little. Xia and Sheng were still standing nearby, but they weren't sure whether they should say something or not.</p><p>Finally, Po went over to the two siblings and gave them a soft punch.</p><p>"Uh, maybe it would be a good idea to leave them alone for a moment", he whispered at the two adult children.</p><p>The panda didn't give them a chance to say against it, he pulled them away to the building.</p><p>King Wang caught a sign of him and the ox called back all men from the place.</p><p>It became quieter, until the white lord and the lady stood alone.</p><p>Yin-Yu was staring at the floor the whole time, while Shen was looking at her from the side from time to time. Only now did they seem to realize what had happened over the days.</p><p>The lord rubbed his wings. He had embraced her after so long time again. And it felt like an illusion, which wanted to fade away.</p><p>Again he looked at her. She felt his glance. The effect of the embrace before didn't comfort her anymore. Instead, she was afraid that a new punishment would follow.</p><p>The tension around them grew higher. The silence made it all worse. Every one of them wanted to speak, but were feared to cause a controversy. And nobody wanted to experience it again. Even Shen hated that ugly feeling of disharmony in his view of life.</p><p>The white lord became more nervous and stroke over his arms, and felt something strange in his feathers. He grabbed for it and the white feather from Yin-Yu came out.</p><p>"<em>It's not over yet,"</em> Soothsayer had said.</p><p>Shen took a very deep breath. "I think we should talk."</p><p>He winced. The peahen hugged herself and ducked her head, and still didn't look at him.</p><p>Was she afraid of a new rebuke?</p><hr/><p>"Shouldn't we stand more in near?" Xia asked and looked at her parents with worried eyes.</p><p>She stood with the others somewhere in the castle, but looked out through the windows.</p><p>But Po patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will be okay. And if something should happen, I'm always ready."</p><p>Gently he pushed her aside. But then he craned his neck and thought: "What are they talking about?"</p><p>He caught his breath. Shen made a few steps closer to her. Then the peacock lifted his wings.</p><hr/><p>Yin-Yu started to tremble when the wings touched her shoulders from behind.</p><p>"What have I done?" she asked with tensed voice.</p><p>With dropped face, she stood there like frozen. Shen moved the feather fingers a little.</p><p>He fought shy of saying the reason, but he couldn't bury it any longer inside his soul. He couldn't see her like this.</p><p>"Listen…," he started. "It wasn't because of you… but I just thought it was from you…"</p><hr/><p>Po stood on his tiptoes and tried to hear a word. He had come sneaking up so close, but not close enough to hear a clear word. Shen spoke so quietly, that it was impossible for the nosy panda to understand what he was saying.</p><p>He pressed himself against the stone wall and watched their reactions.</p><p>Shen continued speaking.</p><p>Suddenly Yin-Yu winced. She turned around to him and stared at the white lord. Then she lowered her face and covered it with her wings. The lady walked away a few steps and showed the impression of being humiliated.</p><p>"How could she?" she cried and gasped for air. "I have a bad family."</p><p>The lord watched how her shoulders quivered.</p><p>"Well, I can't really be proud about myself, too," he said and didn't want to think about what if he had cut her face in the hidden tunnels. The rage about the faked letter had made him so blind that he had almost killed her.</p><p>The peahen started to whimper</p><p>"I can understand if you don't want to see me anymore," she cried. "I've always brought you bad luck."</p><p>It looked like she was going to run away, but Shen grabbed her by her shoulders.</p><p>"Bad luck?" he asked with surprise and seriously. "How can you say that?"</p><p>He held her tight. "Do you not know me anymore?"</p><p>She silenced before she moved her trembling lips. "What am I worth to you?"</p><p>He narrowed his eyes. Xiang had manipulated her much worse than he thought.</p><p>Gently but firmly he turned her around so that she stood in front of him to look at her face.</p><p>His fingers tight on her shoulders.</p><p>After he was sure that she wouldn't try to escape, he reached into his feathers and took out the white feather, which Xia had given to him.</p><p>"Do you recognize it?" he asked.</p><p>She lifted her lowered eyes and looked at the white older feather in his hand.</p><p>Gradually, memories came back.</p><p>She remembered when she found that feather. It was in the morning after the night where she found it on the floor while they were busy to put on their clothes again. Maybe he had lost it while their night of love. She had picked it up and had shown it to him. The lord had smiled. <em>"You can keep it."</em></p><hr/><p><em> <strong>Over 10 years ago ... The next day after the night</strong> </em> <em> <strong><br/></strong> </em> <em><br/></em> <em>"Master Shen?" Wolf boss asked when he saw the lord walking down the factory stairs. "Are you going to make the test with the new weapon today?"</em></p><p>
  <em>But the lord shook his head.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Not today."</em></p><p>
  <em>Wolf boss stared at him in surprise. "B-but you said, yesterday you wanted…"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Yesterday was yesterday," Shen cut his word. "But today is today."</em></p><p>
  <em>With big eye, the wolf watched how the peahen came down the stairs behind the lord. She wore another robe than yesterday. It was dark blue with white swatches. Her posture didn't show a shy like the first few days. Her eyes looked firm and maybe… happy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lord Shen took her hand and guided her until the end of the long stairway. After that he wrapped his arms around her to make sure that the robe was close enough around her body.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wolf boss had followed them and wasn't sure what he should say next.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Uhm… and what are your plans today?"</em></p><p>"<em>It's so nice outside," the lord said. "We will make a little walk."</em></p><p>
  <em>They two birds looked at each other. "Today is a special day."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She smiled at him. "Yes, a special day."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They rubbed their beaks together. It didn't seem to bother Shen that Wolf boss was looking at them. But then the wolf looked from one to another. Then he shrugged his shoulders.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I don't understand," he muttered and left them alone.</em></p><p>
  <em>When he was gone, Shen couldn't resist a smile. Then he led her to the next door.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The air smelled like clear whitewashed. It was like the world had taken a new breath of life. New snow covered the landscape of the mountains. Everything seemed to be clean, so perfect that it hurt to put a foot in the immaculate snow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Shen placed himself next to her and waved his wing. "Let's go."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Together they walked down a snowed path which guided through the snow between some hills. The sun shined down from a cloudless blue sky. The snow glittered and the crunching sound under their feet was all what kept the world around them alive.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a while they kept quiet. Shen felt to say something and tried a dialog.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Well," he started. He tried to sound firm, but he felt like an unsure teen boy. "It was a… nice night."</em></p><p>
  <em>She smiled and stroke over her robe.</em>
</p><p><em>Shen bit his underlip. Last night it had been so natural, but now, after he was sober again, it was a little embarrassed for him. He tried to change the topic. She shouldn't think, that he only liked her because of her body. No, it was more than that. He wanted to talk about something neutral. Everything was serious for him. They were a couple now. But not any couple. He was someone with</em> <em>aristocratic blood. And they had agreed to live together as a married couple. Now he'd got a new</em> <em>responsibility. Not only about the plan to conquer China. Something other had conquered him.</em></p><p>
  <em>He picked up some snow with his hands and stroked about it. She watched his movement of his hands.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She smiled. "The snow is white like you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He smiled back. White, black and gray where the only colors what she could see.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly a shadow covered his face.</em>
</p><p>A warrior in black and white will defeat me.</p><p>"<em>Anything wrong?" she asked worried.</em></p><p>
  <em>Shen shook his head wildly. "No, no. It was just a… Never mind."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He didn't want to ruin this day with that black-and-white prophecy. Not today. And what would that make a sense? He already destroyed that "warriors" of black and white. They will never cross his plans.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He pressed the snow together in his hand. "No, it's all just new for me."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She nodded. "For me, too."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He threw the snowball away. Together they watched how it disappeared somewhere in the snow.</em>
</p><p>"<em>You can throw it very far," she said.</em></p><p>"<em>It's just a matter of practice."</em></p><p>
  <em>Again he picked up some snow and formed it into a ball.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Look at this."</em></p><p>
  <em>He threw it in the air very high, then at the same time he threw something after it and cut the ball in two.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Speechless, she watched how the two snowball parts fell from the sky.</em>
</p><p>"<em>How have you done that?"</em></p><p>
  <em>He lifted his wing and pulled a white feather out. But this feather was strange. It seemed to be very hard like a…</em>
</p><p>"<em>Feather blades."</em></p><p>
  <em>He reached for one of the knives which was white and formed like a feather and handed it to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Carefully, she took and felt it with her feather fingers.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Very sharp," he warned. "I put them on this morning."</em></p><p>"<em>How did you get the idea?" she asked.</em></p><p>"<em>Well, feathers are formed like knives. Then I thought why no feather knives."</em></p><p>
  <em>She stroked over the sharp edge. "Is there no danger that you cut yourself?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Not if I'm very careful," he took it back. "And I will be careful. My body is my own weapon."</em></p><p>
  <em>While he spoke, he formed another snowball, threw it in the air and cut it with the feather knife, so that the cut snow flew over their heads.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Do you think I could do that too?" she asked after a few seconds of speechlessness.</em></p><p>
  <em>He smiled at her. "I'm sure. I will teach you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His glance wandered over the landscape. "For the conquest we will need every good warrior."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She realized how strong his eyelids tensed. Gently she reached out her hand and rubbed with her wing the snow in his feathers away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His tension disappeared.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Maybe we should talk about different things than this," she suggested.</em></p><p>
  <em>Shen blinked. "Mm, yes. At least for today."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>At that moment, she bent down and formed a snowball.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>First Shen looked at her in surprise, as if he asked her what she expected from him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She tried a friendly smile and started to laugh. "Forget your work. Today is a wonderful day."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She threw the snowball, but she didn't manage to throw him so far away like Shen had done.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The white lord smirked. "You still need a lot of practice."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Now he formed a snowball, too. But then… First, she winced, but when she heard him laughing, she didn't mind when he had thrown the snowball against her. And after a while they made a little snowball fight. Then they ran over the snow country, twisted around that the snow flew and whirled around them. Finally, he threw himself over her and both rolled on the white floor. With panting, they came to a halt and looked at each other with some exhaustion.</em>
</p><p><em>While Shen was laying on her, he cleaned her face from the snow. He did it gently and carefully and started to remember last night. </em> <em>She wasn't a mystery for him anymore. After he had searched every part of her body in the night, it seemed he would know everything of her soul. After a while they stood up again and a new catch-and-hide game started.</em></p><p>
  <em>They played like they never did in their childhood. It was more than a game between friends. It was more familiar, more intimate…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>While she hid herself behind a snow hill, she leaned against the snow wall and took the chance to take some fresh air.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly she froze. A shadow had appeared in the distance and flew at a low level over the snowed mountain area.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The peahen ducked her head. Her heart beat faster. She knew that shape. In the next moment, the flying figure gave the impression of that he had discovered her. Other flying shadows followed him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She winced when Shen appeared next to her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Found!"</em></p><p>
  <em>But then he realized her unsureness and stopped. "Anything wrong?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>Uh… no, I…"</em></p><p>
  <em>Gently she pushed him more behind the hill.</em>
</p><p>"<em>I… I just thought I had seen a… a flower somewhere there…"</em></p><p>
  <em>She simulated as if she would look around the landscape, but in reality, she scanned the sky. The dark shapes were gone.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Wait a second," she said and let the surprise lord standing there. "I back soon."</em></p><p>
  <em>Quickly she ran behind the next snow hill.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Be careful," Shen cried behind her.</em></p><p>"<em>Don't worry," she cried back.</em></p><p>
  <em>Shortly after she was gone from his view, she ran as fast as she could around some snowed rocks, always looking at the sky. But nothing was there. Were they gone?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She stopped and listened. But there was no sound, no one…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her into the air. She did her best not to scream. The big bird flew with her on a shadowed hidden plateau. Yin-Yu landed face down in the snow. Quickly she got up and looked into an eagle face.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Many moons and many suns we were on our way and now we found you," he said with satisfaction.</em></p><p>"<em>How can you dare?" she scolded at him. More eagles surrounded her.</em></p><p>
  <em>The big bird smiled darkly. "Your parents are longing for you."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, really?" She freed her clothes from the snow. "I never want to go back!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The eagle seemed to be a little confused. He had never heard such objections from her.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Pretty cheeky after just a few weeks free time in the open world." He grabbed her wing. "You come back now."</em></p><p><em>She pulled her wing free. "No! You know exactly why. My life in </em> <em>Jingang</em> <em> City is over. It doesn't exist anymore."</em></p><p>
  <em>The eagle narrowed his eyes. "Or is it because of that silly looking guy?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She winced. "I don't know what are you talking about."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The eagle cracked his claws. "Maybe we should ask him."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His ugly smile didn't speak a good sign.</em>
</p><p>"<em>He knows nothing about me!"</em></p><p>
  <em>The boss eagle turned around. "Oh, really?"</em>
</p><p>"<em>He lives in the mountains!" she said firmly. "Alone. He only gave me a roof for a while."</em></p><p>"<em>In this case it will be no problem to turn home."</em></p><p>
  <em>Two of the guard birds grabbed her wings. Her body tensed and she tried to come free.</em>
</p><p>"<em>Why are you doing this to me!?" she cried.</em></p><p>"<em>Your parents will be very angry with us," the bigger eagle explained. "They told us: Bring her back or leave forever. You have three guesses what I will choose now."</em></p><p>"<em>No, I don't wanna go back!"</em></p><p>"<em>Shut up! Time of departure."</em></p><p>
  <em>With that, one of the big eagles took her in his claws and flew away with the struggling girl.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She looked around, but there was no chance for her to take a last look at him. Tears filled her eyes. The landscape blurred around her. </em>
</p><p>Farewell my love.</p><p>
  <em>She wished to scream. But he would hear that. He shouldn't hear her. He shouldn't come.</em>
</p><hr/><p>"At first I thought something bad had happened to you," Shen said after Yin-Yu had told his version. "Until I've got the ... letter."</p><p>The peahen sighed. "I should have never been kidnapped. I destroyed everything!"</p><p>She held her beak to avoid crying out loudly.</p><p>Shen came a little closer. "You may have destroyed a lot, but not everything."</p><p>She lowered her head more. "So you also admit that it's my fault."</p><p>The peacock's eyes narrowed. "If so, it was your mother's fault. She deceived both of us."</p><p>Yin-Yu lowered her cramped hands. "I hate her so much."</p><p>"Why didn't you call me?" he asked. "I would have been there for you."</p><p>She looked at him with a steady glance. "And what if my parents came with an entire army? No, you weren't ready yet. My life has been ruined. I didn't want to ruin yours, too. I thought I could end my previous life. I never wanted to hear the name which I was given the day I was born. Incidentally, I never revealed any of your plans. Never."</p><p>Shen silenced for a moment. "I remember like it was yesterday when you lay on the floor in front of me."</p><p>"Maybe it was a mistake. I had spared you a lot of troubles."</p><p>Shen looked away for a few seconds before he looked at her face again. "But your daughter looked for me, and she found me. And now, we are standing here."</p><p>They looked at each other, but Yin-Yu showed more than unsureness. She turned around and walked some steps away. "But what does it mean?" she asked with hoarse, quiet voice.</p><p>She stopped when she saw some blood strains in the snow of Xiang after Shen had cut with his knife in his arm. The peacock realized her glance and looked down at it, too. Then he wiped with his foot over the bloody snow.</p><p>"You said you wanted to leave him, didn't you?" he asked.</p><p>She gasped for air. "I was angry."</p><p>"But you would if you could, wouldn't you?"</p><p>She didn't reply.</p><p>Slowly they walked side by side.</p><p>"Was he so cruel to you?" he asked carefully.</p><p>A bitter smile crossed her lips. "We slept in separate bedrooms. In the first few months, he came to me just to have his "fun" with me. I couldn't even choose my children's names. If Xia had never had the first letters and Sheng never had the last letter of his name, he would have thought of something else."</p><p>A few seconds of silence followed.</p><p>"So, you hate him?" Shen dared to ask.</p><p>She stopped, but her glance kept ahead. "Yes."</p><p>Shen rubbed over the sleeve of his robe. "Wang made you an offer. - Do you want to accept it?"</p><p>She looked at him quickly. "Why do you ask me that question?"</p><p>"I only want to know the answer."</p><p>She looked away. "How shall I explain it to you? I had no other option."</p><p>He circled around her. "Until now, right?"</p><p>"I don't know what I shall think."</p><p>Shen stopped in front of her, while she looked down. Finally, Shen took something out of his robe and handed it to her.</p><p>Yin-Yu lifted her head and stared at the rolled paper in his wing.</p><p>Shen didn't explain and opened it a bit.</p><p>Her eyes grew wide. "Is that…?"</p><p>"Your letter? Yes."</p><p>He rolled it together again.</p><p>"You've got it…?"</p><p>"Since yesterday…. And I read it."</p><p>Suddenly she turned away. Was she embarrassed?</p><p>"But that was so long time ago. How should we know that everything could be like… in the past?"</p><p>The peacock put away the letter again and put together his hands very firmly.</p><p>"What do you associate with the color black?"</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Just answer my question. What do you feel about black?"</p><p>She thought about it. "Colorless. White is bright and light, but black is dark and without vision."</p><p>"That's how I felt the whole time. I was angry when I heard that you belonged to someone else."</p><p>She lifted her eyes. "He never owned me. There was no single day, where I didn't think about you."</p><p>Shen raised his eyebrows. "Over the 19 years through? 19 years are a long time. Every day?"</p><p>She nodded. But she didn't dare to ask him the same question.</p><p>Instead, both looked somewhere else in the distance.</p><p>"Are you going to go back to Xiang's city?" he asked carefully.</p><p>"I never felt home there," she replied "It brings back so many… black memories."</p><p>Shen seemed to think about something. "In this case, you will need a place to stay, where you could feel more… in light. Where there's not so black."</p><p>A very gentle smile crossed her mouth. "That would be nice. To have a place where you don't feel like in prison. Do you know a place?"</p><p>A very, very little smile placed his beak. "Maybe. And maybe for your children too."</p><p>She looked at him from the site, while Shen continued. "Mm, and maybe your daughter needs a place to learn swimming. She will need that, for some situations."</p><p>Yin-Yu looked up.</p><p>"I can't swim either."</p><p>"Then you both need to learn it. And your son is not a bad fighter. He will need a place to keep good."</p><p>"You mean <em>our</em> son… and <em>our</em> daughter."</p><p>Shen smirked. "I still have to get used to it."</p><p>"Could you imagine you could use to say it?"</p><p>"Well, I will need some time."</p><p>"How much time?"</p><p>He turned to her. "Maybe a very long time. Do you think you could give me that time?"</p><p>Her eyes grew bigger. "A very long time?"</p><p>"A very, very long time."</p><p>They looked at each other.</p><p>"Could you imagine?" he asked seriously.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>He hesitated. "Sure?"</p><p>"If you ask me like that."</p><p>"Do you want it?"</p><p>Now they realized they were almost hugging. But maybe he didn't need to say it, she already had agreed with him absolutely.</p><p>At that moment, a little snowflake whirled around them. And more and more. It started to snow again.</p><p>Both birds looked up.</p><p>"Do you still love the snow?" he asked deep in thoughts.</p><p>"I still love it like…"</p><p>He seemed to guess that she wanted to say "you".</p><p>Slowly he took her wings and kissed them. As if he had been waiting for so long for this moment. He reached out his hand and wiped over her snowed head feathers. She did the same.</p><p>Suddenly an icy wind blew around them.</p><p>They embraced while they watched the snow.</p><p>"Snow is beautiful. Isn't it?" he asked.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>Quickly but gently he wrapped his robe closer around her. She started to tremble, but she became warm on his body again.</p><p>"Hey!" a familiar panda voice called them. "You will catch a cold!"</p><p>Shen smiled. "Who cares?" He took her closer. "It's a pleasure for us."</p><p>Po became speechless. "Sometimes I really don't understand some people." And watched how the snowflakes whirled around the two birds.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Family matters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Po ran back into the castle when he saw that Shen and Yin-Yu were coming back. After they had entered the entrance hall of the castle, they were excepted from the others, but Wang who wasn't present at the moment. With question filled eyes, Po, Xia and Sheng, including the cicada Tu, looked at the new-found couple.</p><p>Xia was the first one, who made a few steps in the direction of her parents.</p><p>"What is it?" she asked.</p><p>"What is what?" Yin-Yu asked back.</p><p>Xia rubbed her wings nervously. "Will we go back home?"</p><p>"Which home?" her mother asked again.</p><p>"I mean…," Xia looked a little confused. "I don't understand."</p><p>Yin-Yu placed her wings on her shoulders comfortingly.</p><p>"We had talked about it, and I think…"</p><p>"We are agreed," Shen finished her sentence and laid his arms around the older peahen.</p><p>Now Sheng came closer and looked between them. "And what does it mean?"</p><p>Yin-Yu forced a smile. "I think we should talk about that in a family round."</p><p>Her children were very surprised about that.</p><p>Xia cut right to the chase of the matter. "Xiang never did that."</p><p>Now Yin-Yu lifted her head. "How is he? What will happen to him?"</p><p>"Uh, uh," Po raised his hand. "While you were talking outside, Wang talked about something, that he will get a punishment for his doings, but he said…"</p><p>"You have the right to decide about his destiny," Wang said, who was walking in at that moment. With firm steps he came over to the bird family and looked at them with serious face.</p><p>"Unless you have an objection against my verdict," the big king admitted in his speech. "Anyway, he is still your husband."</p><p>He made a little break. "Or should he get the worst verdict?"</p><p>Yin-Yu knew what he meant. Unsurely she exchanged glances with Shen. But he didn't want to interfere in her matters. Like Wang said, it was her husband and had the next powerful disposition about him.</p><p>Wang pulled his eyebrows together. "If you have a verdict, we should carry out it today here and now."</p><p>"Yes," Po agreed. "Just to make sure, that he doesn't escape again. Maybe - by mistake - just to be sure."</p><p>The panda didn't want to have a fight with him once again.</p><p>The peahen dropped her face. It was a painful silence.</p><p>Finally, she lifted her head and looked at Wang. "He is in your hands," she said. "Do what you want as you think best. But don't kill him."</p><p>Her eyes wandered back to Shen. She saw it in his face, he wasn't in one opinion with her, but she shook her head. "I can't."</p><p>The peacock snorted, but he didn't want to force her. But he felt a burning, destroying fire in his chest, that only wanted to delete that heinous creature.</p><p>"In this case it's a done deal for you?" Wang pressed her on.</p><p>She nodded, although with hesitation. Her hate was still very high, but otherwise, he had taken care of her through all the years. She couldn't bring herself to give him the maximum punishment that could take his life away.</p><p>"Do you want to see him for the last time?" Wang continued asking.</p><p>A trace of horror crossed her face.</p><p>"He is unable to fight," Wang calmed her down. "He can't hurt you."</p><p>She hesitated, but then she nodded.</p><p>Wang gave a few soldiers a sign and they disappeared.</p><p>And it didn't take a long time until some soldiers came back. Maybe they hadn't locked up the rebellious peacock, but rather safe kept in a lonely corner.</p><p>The blue peacock didn't fight, when they led him into the building. There were iron shackles around his neck, wings and feet and were all connected with one chain. From time to time he struggled a little, as if he could think to break the chains with one move. The slash wound by Shen had stopped bleeding, but a big blood spot adorned his left wing.</p><p>The soldiers placed themselves in the hall but with a lot of distance to the peahen.</p><p>"Alright," Wang started with crossed arms. "Your behavior was more than ruthless. But because that I want to respect the will of your wife, I refrain from giving you the maximum verdict. You will work in the stone mines. There you will have enough employment."</p><p>Xiang looked up at him with obstinate mien, as if he was going to jump in the king's face to cut it into pieces. His hate filled eyes landed on his previous owned family.</p><p>Suddenly he rushed forward, but the chains avoided reaching them. Angrily, he tugged at the chains.</p><p>"You cursed witch!" he screamed. "If you ever come under my eyes again…!"</p><p>Suddenly Shen threw many feather knives on the floor very close in front of his rival's feet.</p><p>The blue peacock kept silent, but his anger wasn't gone.</p><p>"Don't dare coming to her near again," Shen hissed threateningly. "Or you will be the one who dies."</p><p>They stared at each other.</p><p>"I don't think so," Xiang spat.</p><p>Yin-Yu realized how Shen was close to throw his feather knife at him, but she restrained him from stabbing to death the blue peacock. Instead, she pushed down his wings and gave him a pleading look. <em>Not this way. </em></p><p>A little calmer, Shen took Yin-Yu when he felt how the fear monopolized her again.</p><p>The blue peacock's eyes narrowed in hatefulness.</p><p>"Don't think that I will ever acquiesce in that!" he screamed at them udn tugged again on his chains with all his force. "YOU ARE ALL DEAD!"</p><p>King Wang grabbed his neck chain. "Be glad that your wife keeps you alive."</p><p>He pushed him away.</p><p>"Take him away!" he ordered. "I can't see him anymore."</p><p>The soldiers obeyed, but Xiang didn't think about surrendering and continued his cursing while they tugged him away. And before he was taken away completely, he turned around. "I will come back! I swear that with my death!"</p><p>Po rubbed his head. "Uh, you mean with your "life", don't you?"</p><p>The cutting glance of Xiang gave Po a scare.</p><p>"You will all pay!" was the last clear sentence, what they could hear from him.</p><p>His screams became quieter until they disappeared.</p><p>Po looked at Wang. "He didn't mean it seriously, did he?"</p><p>But Wang made a gesture of refusal. "Don't worry. He will never come back."</p><p>Po looked in the direction where Xiang was taken away. "I hope so."</p><p>Anxiously he looked back at the others. Shen had taken her in his arms again.</p><p>Meanwhile, Wang had drawn closer to them and his eyes were on Yin-Yu.</p><p>"Well, I guess, you don't want to stay here, want you?"</p><p>"I don't think so," Po whispered at him. "They had waited over 10 years for this moment. I can't imagine that they…"</p><p>"Panda!" Shen cut his word.</p><p>"I already keep quiet. Sorry. I just thought…"</p><p>"Listen Wang," Yin-Yu started. "Your suggestion let me feel honored, but I already have a family."</p><p>She took Shen's wing in her hands and King Wang had to accept her decision.</p><p>"But what about your home city?"</p><p>She exchanged glances with the lord. But it was a clear thing that she never wanted to set foot in Xiang's city again.</p><p>"I dedicate it to your care," she said. "I can't stay there."</p><p>King Wang rubbed his head. "Alright, but…"</p><p>"Po? Are you here?"</p><p>Like electrified Po turned around and saw Mr. Ping in the entrance.</p><p>"Dad?"</p><p>Behind the gander followed Soothsayer and Xinxin.</p><p>"How did you come here?"</p><p>"Through the tunnel. Knowing you, you made it and I just thought you were hungry and… Oh, dear! I just wanted to see that everything is all right with you."</p><p>Po ran at him and hugged him. Snow raised down on the floor.</p><p>"It wasn't my credit," Po said and released the gander. "Someone other did the main work."</p><p>He looked at the two birds and Mr. Ping understood. Po led him to them, but Shen and Yin-Yu didn't seem to realize they really. Even not the soothsayer who watched them with a warm smile. Meanwhile, Po looked from one to another.</p><p>"Am I just imagining that or is there something waiting?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Pictures of firework</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <strong>Many days later…</strong> </em>
</p><p>"No, no, no, no. Oh dear, oh dear, oh my, oh my, oh my."</p><p>Nervously Po paced up and down.</p><p>"Po?"</p><p>The panda screamed, until he realized Mr. Ping, who was standing in front of him and watched him in surprise. "What's going on with you?"</p><p>"Oh, nothing, it's just…" Po searched for the right words. "It's all… I'm so excited. I never attended… oh, oh, oh, oh…"</p><p>"Po! Calm down," Mr. Ping said in a reassuring voice. "You seem to be more nervous than the bridal pair."</p><p>They were standing somewhere next to the palace of Shen's new build city. It was almost in the night and Po didn't know what to do. Because today was a very special day.</p><p>Mr. Ping lifted his head higher and looked outside where the big parade ground lay.</p><p>"Oh, I think, they are going to start…"</p><p>"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, really? Ahh! We come too late!"</p><p>Quickly he ran down some stairs to the big place, where many sheep, rams and goat came together. With effort the panda squeezed himself through the big people.</p><p>"Sorry, sorry, excuse me, move along."</p><p>He had almost reached the foremost area of the crowd and sucked in the stomach between two rams. Suddenly the panda stumbled over his own feet, fell forward and landed on a free place at the edge of the crowd.</p><p>"Oh, Panda!" Lord Shen hissed quietly at him.</p><p>The peacock was standing a few steps higher in front of the palace and looked down at him reproachfully.</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry," Po apologized and stood up quickly.</p><p>Now he stood next to Xia and Sheng.</p><p>Shen shook his head with disgust. A stupid move from that panda was the last thing what he needed now. With a deep sigh, he lifted his head higher and stood there very firmly.</p><p>He wore a long snow-white robe with barely visible red fine-stand.</p><p>Po's eyes wandered around and came to a halt over Sheng.</p><p>"Hey, your color looks cool," Po said quietly at him.</p><p>The young peacock hadn't colored his white spots in his plumage and his piebald white-green-blue splendor was visible for everyone.</p><p>"Do you really think so?" he asked.</p><p>"Oh yes," Po nodded. "In my village, white spots are very popular."</p><p>He pointed at his white parts of his fur.</p><p>Suddenly a loud Chinese gong echoed over the place.</p><p>All eyes wandered up the stairs. Po caught his breath. The door was opened and a familiar figure stood in the big door frame.</p><p>The peahen stood there, her wings put together and hidden in the robe sleeves. She wore a white-silver robe with gray swatches and black yarn. The cloth was much longer than usual and slid over the stairs when she walked them down.</p><p>A murmur went through the crowd. Yin-Yu had closed her eyes a little, but she gave the impression that this was a wedding which she agreed with pleasure.</p><p>The two birds met on a bigger platform between the stairs. The public watched their movements and how they took the hand off the other.</p><p>Another sheep stood next to them and was ready to fulfill the wedding ceremony.</p><p>A harmony wrapped the bride and the bridegroom. Everybody could see they were like one.</p><p>While the whole ceremony, Po stood there and chewed his nails nervously and Mr. Ping had to admonish him every time to stop, before the panda started again.</p><p>After the ritual, the long-awaited kiss followed and a jubilation in the crowd followed.</p><p>Po cried out of sheer emotion and had troubles to avoid the tears.</p><p>Finally, Shen took her hand and looked at the crowd, as a sign that he expected respect.</p><p>Everyone bowed.</p><p>When the deference waned, Shen lifted his wings.</p><p>"And to celebrate this day, I choose the name for the city. I call it Yín Yăn City."</p><p>"Didn't you mean, Yin Yang?" Po whispered at him.</p><p>Shen sighed angrily. "No, Yín Yăn."</p><p>He gave Po a dangerous looking glance. "Is that my city or your city?"</p><p>The panda ducked his head. "Of course, it's yours. I just thought…"</p><p>Shen ignored the rest of his sentence and paid his attention back to his wife.</p><p>"I know, you can't see colors. For this reason, I created something special for you."</p><p>He lifted his wing. Somebody in the distance realized his sign and lighted some firecrackers.</p><p>First it looked like a usual firework, but then… Pictures of lights appeared in the sky.</p><p>"Wow," Po said with amazement. "That's a bird… oh this looks like a noodle, no, a fire cloud."</p><p>More and more pictures of firework lighted the sky.</p><p>"You are a genius, Master," the little sheep said who stood next to his grand aunt Soothsayer.</p><p>The white lord nodded gently at them. And they nodded back with respect.</p><p>While everybody followed that spectacle, Xia bent over to Po. "Thanks, that our parents can be together now."</p><p>Po rubbed his hands together shyly. "Hey, no prob. But without you, maybe it had never happened."</p><p>She lowered her glance. "But will he ever be satisfied with me?"</p><p>The panda petted his chin thoughtfully. "Because you are a girl? Nah, I don't think so. Let me give you a little advice, and I can say that because of personal experiences: Get to know better each other. Give him time. He had to calm down until he is ready to make consents."</p><p>The girl looked at her father who stood with pride next to her mother.</p><p>While they watched the firework filled sky, Shen came a little closer to his married bride. "You know, I wanted to make you to the mightiest woman in the kingdom, if I had conquered China. But at the moment, I can't provide more at the moment."</p><p>She smiled gently. "Sway and wealth are unimportant for me." She touched his wing. "I'm happy enough."</p><p>He dropped his face. "However, I wished I had win."</p><p>"But you already won a war. For us."</p><p>He looked at her with serious face. "But you deserve it. It's time that you come out from the shadows."</p><p>She started to pat his arm. "The main point is that we stay together."</p><p>He sighed, but then he let her lean against his chest. And he hoped it would be the last war, which he had to win for her.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Yín Yăn should stand for the Chinese words "Silver Eye". I tried to find the right translation in a Chinese dictionary. If somebody knows it better you can tell me. :)</strong>
</p><p><strong>Under the heading "fireworks", which are like colors in the sky, I had to think about the German song "</strong> <em> <strong>Ist da jemand</strong> </em> <strong>" by </strong> <em> <strong>Adel Tawil</strong> </em> <strong>. (~ </strong> <em> <strong>Is there anybody</strong> </em> <strong>). It's a beautiful song. Highly recommended. ^_- (Official video has still the best sound.) Here some phrases from a translation page:</strong></p><p>
  <strong> <em>You run through the streets without destination</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Through the night, you can't sleep again</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>You imagine that somebody is thinking of you</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>It feels like you are completely alone</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>There are huge stones in your way</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>And you don't know where you run</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>When the sky is without any colour</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>You look up and sometimes you wonder</em> </strong>
</p><p><strong> <em>Is there anybody who understands my heart?</em> </strong><br/><strong> <em>And who will go till the end with me?</em> </strong><br/><strong> <em>Is there anybody who still believes</em> </strong> <strong> <em> in me?</em> </strong><br/><strong> <em>Is there anybody? Is there anybody?</em> </strong><br/><strong> <em>Who will take the shadow from my soul?</em> </strong><br/><strong> <em>And who will bring me home savely?</em> </strong><br/><strong> <em>Is there anybody who really needs me?</em> </strong><br/><strong> <em>Is there anybody? Is there anybody?</em> </strong></p><p>
  <strong> <em>All around you smiling faces</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>You smile with them, the last one keeps the light on</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>The world is loud and your heart is numb</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>You hoped that one and one equals two</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>And someday somebody will be with you</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Who talks to you without using a word</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>When the sky is without any colour</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>You look up and sometimes you wonder</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>Is there anybody who understands my heart?</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>And who will go till the end with me?</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Is there anybody who still believes in me?</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Is there anybody? Is there anybody?</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Who will take the shadow from my soul?</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>And who will bring me home savely?</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Is there anybody who really needs me?</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Is there anybody? Is there anybody?</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong> <em>(...)</em> </strong>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>Last chapter follows…</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Snow melting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"…and they all lived happily ever after," Po closed his story.</p><p>He was walking with his five friends through the street of the Valley of Peace while he had told them the story.</p><p>"Do you really think they will be happy together?" Monkey asked.</p><p>Po slowed his pace. "I'm absolutely sure." He sighed. "Maybe you would say the same if you had seen what I had seen."</p><p>He wiped with his foot over a little snow hill. Meanwhile the snow was melting. Just here and there lay a little white spot. The spring was ready to come back.</p><p>The panda smiled. "Snow is beautiful."</p><p>His friends exchanged glances and didn't understand his thoughtful words.</p><p>Quickly Po shook his head and cracked his fingers. "Weeeelllll, now, what will be our next mission? Yeah, I'm always ready!"</p><p>He stopped. They were standing in near of Mr. Ping's restaurant. But somebody came out.</p><p>"Uh, why is our doctor coming out of our house?" Po asked.</p><p>Mantis jumped on his head. "Maybe to eat something."</p><p>Po thought a moment. "He never eats in our restaurant at about that time. Could it be that…?"</p><p>Suddenly he guessed something and ran forward.</p><p>"Oh no! DAD!"</p><p>As fast as he could, he crushed into the restaurant into the kitchen.</p><p>"Dad! What happened?!"</p><p>"Oh, hi, Po", Mr. Ping greeted. "I have guessed that you would come."</p><p>Po's eyes wandered down to Mr. Pings bandaged arm.</p><p>The gander smiled. "It's just a little wing sprain. Nothing serious. I just slipped on a snow slush."</p><p>Po held his head when he saw how Mr. Ping was reaching for a bowl.</p><p>"Let me do that, dad! I will help you with your work."</p><p>"But Po, that's unnecessary."</p><p>"You can't do that with one arm."</p><p>With these words he grabbed the bowl, but shortly after he grabbed the garbage can.</p><p>"Po, I will look for a household help…"</p><p>"Don't worry, dad!" Po cried. "I will carry out the garbage!"</p><p>"But Po…"</p><p>Tigress covered her face. And Mantis finished her thoughts: "I think we have to go on a mission without him for a while longer."</p><p>
  <strong>- The end -</strong>
</p><hr/><p>"<strong>And they all lived happily ever after…" Well, well. That's not the end of the story.</strong></p><p>
  <strong>Here are the following stories which will follow after that story in that order: </strong>
</p><p>"<strong>The last victory", "The last honor" and "The last hope".</strong></p>
  </div></div>
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